Council accused of underhand move in swimming pool row

CAMPAIGNERS hoping to reverse a council decision to close a public swimming pool have accused the authority of scuppering their chances by draining the pool of water.

Manningham Pool in Bradford closed in July as part of a series of cost-cutting measures by Bradford Council.

Campaigners are taking legal advice on the decision, claiming the authority did not follow the correct procedures.

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And they have now accused the council of “vandalism” for emptying the pool.

The chairman of the Save Manningham Pool action committee, Karl Dallas, claimed that draining the water would cause the pool walls to collapse, making it impossible for it to be brought back into community use.

The council has denied the accusation, saying no damage has been caused.

Mr Dallas is also angry at recent attacks by vandals and thieves on the fabric of the building.

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He claimed the council had failed to install sufficient security measures to deter thieves and vandals. This has also been denied by the council.

“All this has happened while we have been taking legal advice on the possibility of seeking a judicial review of the poor procedures followed by the council in the run-up to the closure of the pool in July,” said Mr Dallas.

“We do not know why the council has taken the precipitate action of emptying the pool.

“Since our meetings are held in public, rather than behind closed doors, it is possibly an attempt to pre-empt the possibility of legal challenge.

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“We do not accept that this is the end of the story. We have called a public meeting at Manningham Library on Thursday evening, September 15, starting at 7.30pm, when we will consider the legal advice we have received.

“If we decide to go ahead with seeking a judicial review, we are advised that we may be eligible for legal aid. But we will also be opening a defence fund to cover any costs.”

Campaigners are conducting a survey of local schools to obtain a detailed analysis of the impact of the pool closure on budgets and curriculums.

Mr Dallas added: “We are asking local residents to look out for any suspicious activities around the pool, parking of lorries there at night etc, and reporting such situations to the police, whom we have also asked to keep a special eye on the pool to avoid further break-ins.”

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Yesterday the leader of the council, Coun Ian Greenwood, responded to the campaigners in a statement.

He said: “The pool was emptied over a number of days in accordance with British Standards, as it has been over many occasions in the past for maintenance. There has been no damage as a result.

“Security has been strengthened at the site to prevent any further break-ins. This has included substantial boarding and alarms throughout the building. We would appreciate it if people would contact the police if they see anything suspicious taking place on the site or if they have any information which would lead to the apprehension of the culprits.

“A thorough process to try and find an alternative operator was carried out. The council received interest from 10 different parties but in the end only two bids were submitted and after careful consideration, neither were judged to be viable.

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“The council could therefore not proceed with handing over the pool to another operator.

“It is regrettable that any facility has to close but the fact is that Manningham Pool needs very expensive modernisation, costing up to £4m.

“This is money that the council simply does not have given the scale of the national public spending reductions.

“The closure of Manningham Pool is a budget decision and will save the council nearly £120,000 as part of a £30m overall package of cuts.”