Agenda item

Report of the Group Director of Services

The Cabinet Member with the Health and Housing Portfolio introduced the report of the Group Director of Services (previously circulated) requesting that consideration be given to extending the Dolphin Centre Pool Project to undertake additional works. 

It was reported that the Dolphin Centre provided an excellent range of health and wellbeing activities as well as being a key leisure and social venue in the town centre; the centre’s popular swimming pool was currently closed and undergoing structural repairs as part of an ongoing programme of work to the building, which was more than 40 years old; the removal of the tiles in the main pool identified the source of the issues and informed further detailed investigation works in other areas where deterioration was previously evident but not thought to require works in the near future; and that with the greater understanding of the issues, it had highlighted the need for further work more urgently than anticipated to the area fronting the changing facilities and the toddler pool area.

The submitted report stated that there was an opportunity to consider extending the project to secure both operational and financial benefits; outlined the options available; stated that the favourable option was to accelerate the repairs and undertake them as an extension to the current project; it was proposed that the works would be split into two phases; and that the initial approved funding would cover the area fronting the changing facilities, whilst feasibility work was completed on options for the toddler pool area and the repairs to the retaining wall, with the those elements being developed and brought to a future scheduled meeting of Cabinet and Council for consideration.

A member of the public in attendance at the meeting raised concerns in respect of the funding of the works from prudential borrowing and requested that consideration be given to alternative methods of funding the works.  References were also made by Members at the meeting in respect of the expected efficiency savings; whether the project would be ‘self-funded’; and the importance of the Dolphin Centre as an asset which brought people into the town centre.  The Cabinet Member with the Health and Housing Portfolio responded thereon.

RESOLVED – (a)  That it be agreed, to vary the Capital Budget for 2023/24 by £490,000, to accelerate the repairs to the Dolphin Centre, as detailed in the submitted report, and undertake them as an extension to the current project.

(b)  That £490,000 of capital funding, be released, to accelerate the repairs to the Dolphin Centre, as detailed in the submitted report.

REASON - To accelerate the works required to the Dolphin Centre to secure the benefits identified in the report.