TENBY’S new councillor is diving straight in and attempting to improve the town’s swimming pool with a call for options for a new facility to be considered.
Pembrokeshire County Council’s cabinet returns following the summer break on Monday (September 5) and included on the agenda is a Notice of Motion submitted by Cllr Sam Skyrme-Blackhall.
It calls for the council to “establish a politically balanced working group to consider options for the siting of a new swimming pool in Tenby and to provide a steer on preferred options for progress.”
A report to next week’s meeting indicates that the pool was built in 1973 by the Tenby Swimming Pool Trust and was subsequently incorporated into the town’s council leisure centre.
It is well used by residents, schools, clubs and visitors, with more than 189,000 public and school visits to the leisure centre in 2019/20, and the report adds that a replacement swimming pool was highlighted as a priority project in the 2018-2028 leisure strategy.
In support of her notice Cllr Skyrme-Blackhall notes that the pool is “coming to the nd of its natural life” and concerns about where a new facility would be built have been raised.
She adds: “The Notice of Motion to create a politically balanced working group is intended to swiftly determine the credibility of the various proposals for a new swimming pool in Tenby and to ensure single focus on a preferred option, thus avoiding unnecessary delays in advancing a scheme. This group should seek to provide clarity about potential timelines.”
An “initial feasibility review” of £78,000 was approved earlier this year and it has been established that a replacement was achievable at the current site and the refurbishment would not be considered financially viable.
The notice is recommended for approval by cabinet and the member for residents services Cllr Rhys Sinnett will lead on local member engagement.
The recommendation adds that the early technical review work be noted – including the current lack of external funding availability – and that “option appraisals continue to be progressed with an additional concept bid to be completed if further funding is required.”
Cabinet meets on Monday, September 5 at 10am, with the meeting available to watch online via the council’s website.
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