Temporary closures made due to lack of funding for maintenance
The closure of the Acton Swimming baths this week after staff ran out of chlorine has led to renewed concerns that the historic baths will eventually be forced to close through lack of funding and maintence. Plans to close the Acton baths and replace it with a new facility have been in the public domain for some time now, but the Council have admitted that they are £3.7 million short of capital to fund the new pool.
Conservative spokesman on Leisure, Cllr Sue Emment said “We support building a new pool in Acton, but with a large funding shortfall and question marks over a site the new facility is many years off. What we don’t want to see is Labour using the promise of a new facility as an excuse to let the Acton Swimming baths wither and die before an alternative is built.
Paul Hyman, Head of Active Ealing, responded to these concerns by stating “The pools strategy is a long-term plan aimed at addressing the need for new pools across the Borough of Ealing. A feasibility study will be undertaken into the proposal for a new 50m pool in Acton and an important part of this study will be investigating how to fund it.”
He went on to assure that “It is the Council's intention for the existing pool in Acton to remain open until a new pool is rebuilt. The council will continue to oversee the current management contract and monitor standards to ensure they are maintained.”
Leisure Connection, the company currently responsible for the management of Acton Pool, reopened the baths on Wednesday morning. A spokesperson for the company said “The health and safety of our customers is of paramount importance to us and we took the correct course of action by closing for a short time while a stock of chemicals was delivered from another leisure facility within the area.”
Paul Hyman concluded "We have spent more than £600,000 on improving the pool and keeping it open over the past five years. We want a good return for the community on this investment and intend to keep the Baths open until we have built the proposed new pool. There have recently been operational problems at the pool and we will be working closely with Leisure Connection to ensure that they are resolved."
June 19, 2005
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