Issue - meetings

To recommend the approval of the tender for the construction of a competition standard swimming pool adjoined to Blackbird Leys Leisure Centre.

The Head of City Leisure and Parks submitted a report (previously circulated, now appended) recommending approval of the tender for the construction of a competition standard swimming pool adjoined to Blackbird Leys Leisure Centre.

The Head of City Leisure and Parks gave a presentation to the Board summarising how the proposed pool in Blackbird Leys fitted in with the overall aims and objectives of the City-wide Leisure strategy.

Peter Sloman, Chief Executive, spoke about the detail of the new pool in Blackbird Leys, particularly focusing on cost, affordability and risk to the Council. On the public questions he said that full answers had consistently been given to the questioners and he would not be authorising more officer time to answer questions on the subject in future.

Councillor Coulter, Board Member for Leisure, summed up the reasons why he believed the Board should approve the recommendations in the report. He said that the proposed new pool presented the best opportunity for all residents of the City and that the alternative of keeping Temple Cowley Pool would be too costly and risky to the Council.

Resolved to:-

1)     Approve the construction of the competition standard swimming pool adjoined to Blackbird Leys Leisure Centre and an increase in the contingency provision of £350k to cover risks, in particular; the implications of ground works and the Town Green application; 

2)     Delegate authority to the Executive Director of City Services, in consultation with the Head of Law and Governance, to award the construction contract to Willmott Dixon;

3)     Delegate authority to the Executive Director of City Services to amend the contract with Fusion Lifestyle to include the management of the new competition standard swimming pool, subject to the agreement of satisfactory terms; and

4)     Instruct officers to implement a decommissioning plan for Temple Cowley and Blackbird Leys Pools.