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Leisure plans axed in U-turn over borrowing (From Maldon and Burnham Standard)
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Leisure plans axed in U-turn over borrowing
4:00pm Thursday 9th July 2009
PROPOSALS for major leisure projects across Tendring have been axed.
Tendring Council has announced it will not be going ahead with plans to borrow up to £1.25million to overhaul facilities in Walton, Dovercourt and Harwich.
The council’s former Tendring First administration had wanted to copy Clacton Leisure Centre’s Lifestyles gymnasium project at other facilities across the district, but the new Tory leadership have now ditched the scheme.
Finance boss Peter Halliday said he sees the future of the district’s regeneration in the reinvention of tourism to cover activities such as walking, cycling, water sports and equestrian activities.
He said: “From a finance point of view, the initial funding proposals do not stack up, even with the borrowing provision and the funds identified by our predecessors, there is still a funding gap of between £300,000 and £500,000.”
Mr Halliday said a £200,000 contribution from the Harwich School towards the cost of refurbishing Harwich Sports Centre will not be accepted because the council would have to front the money and then get it back over ten-years.
He added: “We are, however, pursuing a joint-use venture that will provide a disabled use fitness facility in Harwich and Dovercourt that we, as a cabinet, recognise is long overdue.
“There have been no cuts to service provision at all. In fact, I am identifying funds to invest in planning and enforcement, a frontline service that is in need of a facelift.”
The planned overhaul of Frinton and Walton Swimming Pool, which would have included a 30-piece gym, could now be downgraded to only refurbishing changing rooms.
It will be paid for by a £232,000 grant, although the bid will have to be resubmitted to Sport England due to the changes, and it is thought it may be rejected because the grant was intended for swimming pool modernisation rather than refurbishment.
Pierre Oxley, the former counciloor responsible forleisure services, said he was “sad” the schemes would not be going ahead.
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Your Say YourStandard
Rude Hester, Dovercourt says...
8:32am Fri 10 Jul 09
The so called Community Reps have stabbed their electorate in the back.
Weren't the Tories the ones who voted against the Alliances budget claiming that they could deliver the facilities without borrowing or raising council tax. I am guessing that they lied.
Harwich and Dovercourt (and the other towns I am sure) are fed up of feeling like they are 2nd rate when it comes to monies being spent on them. The proposed upgrades by the former administration went someway to making us feel as though we were not 2nd rate. The Tories in just a few short months have proven that they have no regard for us or our town.
I hope it isn't long before the Tories and so called Community Reps fail.
Poacher, Clacton says...
9:27am Fri 10 Jul 09
We are entering a different age from the borrow and spend days encouraged by Labour over the last 12 odd years.
I am all for developing community facilites every where in the district but they should be funded in more sensible ways.
Rude Hester, Dovercourt says...
12:28pm Fri 10 Jul 09
Before the alliance took over the administration we had nothing spent on us then. You cannot blame the recession for all of the Tories actions.
We don't have expensive toilet blocks, we don't have a massive fountain in the town centre. We don't even have a gym that the disabled can use. We have nothing. The facilities we do have don't even measure up to 2nd rate they are so old and broken down. Come and look at Dovercourts sea front. Look at what faces our blue flag beach and tell me that its fair that we are shafted yet again.
In the paper today they are basically telling us to get on our bikes, that they want to put money into tourism rather than lesiure. That they want people to take up walking and cycling etc. All things that are going to cost the council very little if anything at all.
Oh yes lets encourage tourism. Lets tell people what a wonderful area the sunshine coast is. And when they get here and there is nothing for them to do lets act surprised at this. After all they can do what the rest of us are going to be expected to do and get on their bikes.
Whatever way you spin it, whatever you say about it the people of Harwich and Dovercourt have been stabbed in the back the new administration and more importantly by the so called Community Reps. The price of Hendersons portfolio position and Browns vice chair is anything good for this town and they are blind if they think that the people of the town don't see this and won't hold them responsible for this.
Poacher, Clacton says...
3:18pm Fri 10 Jul 09
Also it appears that they were intending to borrow for capital projects when their own day to day budget didnt even balance.
This hasnt a lot to do with party politics but more to do with simple day to day economic realities.
The whole country has been grossly mismanaged and whoever is in power, be it locally or nationally, has to make some pretty stark choices.
What we are seeing today is only the tip of the iceberg as far as cutbacks will go. Mark my words, the decisions that will have to be taken at national and local levels over the decade will make the Thatcher era seem like a comparative tea party.
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gazettes best reporter, basildon says...
12:59am Fri 10 Jul 09
"there is still a funding gap of between £300,000 and £500,000." as reported above, more money would have been available for other much needed uses.