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Protesters outside the swimming baths |
Flip-flop jibe over pool rescue
‘Climbdown’ charge
as £14m-project to save threatened baths is unveiled
DETAILS of the rescue package to save the Prince of
Wales Baths in Kentish Town were published on Monday.
Environment director Peter Bishop said that the building, prone
to boiler breakdowns and at risk of permanent closure, could
be saved in a new £14-million scheme.
As the New Journal exclusively revealed last week, Camden’s
Labour group have swung behind the designs and senior members
are almost certain to approve them at a cabinet meeting on Wednesday
night.
Liberal Democrat rivals hit back by claiming Labour had ‘flip-flopped’
on the issue, accusing them of changing their minds in the face
of public pressure and with May’s council elections on
the horizon.
The new proposals – known as Option Three – would:
• Retain two large swimming pools, the Grafton Pool and
the Willies Pool.
• Sacrifice the current learner pool to make room for a
new boiler plant.
• Install a movable floor in the Willies Pool to help learners
and children.
• Take an estimated two years of building work to complete.
• Include repairs to the fabric of the Victorian building,
including water-tight roofs and improvements to the centre’s
reception.
• Have a 20-year design life.
• Sell off land at the back of the site and the former
laundry for new homes.
Mr Bishop said: “Option Three, whilst being more cost and
design efficient, is also more in line with local opinion as
expressed in the local press and through correspondence with
the council. This has emphasised the desirability of keeping
the two main pools.”
Labour’s top brass are believed to be excited about the
new option but are unwilling to comment before holding a vote
on the proposals.
But Mike Katz, chairman of the Hampstead Labour branch and an
election candidate, said: “There are not often win-wins
in local politics but this must be the closest thing to one.
We get to keep swimming provision in Kentish Town and we get
to keep the old building that people feel strongly about. I’d
like to think there would be cross party support for the proposals.”
Over the past six months, Labour members at the Town Hall had
warned that the cost of refurbishing the Victorian baths could
be too high. Previous designs were priced as high as £29
million.
On Tuesday morning, Lib Dems waved flip-flops to demonstrate
the sudden turnaround. The beach footwear has symbolised U-turns
since last year’s American elections when large numbers
of flip-flops were waved at political rallies.
Group leader Councillor Keith Moffitt said: “This is a
cave-in, a climbdown. I think Labour underestimated the level
of public opinion on the baths. The new option might not be
as glamorous scheme but it’s what swimmers want.
“If the council can do it in budget and keep the pool,
then we would be silly to object. But this is example of the
council flip-flopping.” Key officials at the Town Hall
and members of the Labour party had refused to guarantee the
building’s future and last had begun looking at the possibility
of opening a replacement pool elsewhere. Philip Thompson, expected
to be announced as a Lib Dem candidate later this month, added:
“We welcome what looks like a last-minute rescue of the
two adult pools at the Prince of Wales Road.
“We deplore how long it has taken for the council to listen
to local voices. Perhaps if they had arranged a public meeting
months ago they would have seen the scale of opposition.” |
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