Cumberland Council has confirmed plans to build a new swimming pool will not go ahead.

Council leaders were asked by members of the place overview and scrutiny committee (OSC) at a meeting on May 17 to reconsider the decision of the council’s executive committee of April 25 not to proceed with making a swimming pool facility at the Wave Centre in Maryport.

In the meeting in April, executive members also agreed they would seek agreement from the UK government to re-scope the use of grant funding at the Wave or to be used for other projects within the Maryport future high street programme.  

The executive’s given reason for the original decision was: “The scheme as proposed was not sustainable and would have long-term revenue cost implications for the Cumberland Council which were prohibitive. 

“The re-scoping of projects would enable the funding to be retained and utilised within the Maryport future high streets programme.” 

At their meeting, OSC members resolved to ask the executive to ‘reconsider its decision and, in particular, to consider seeking information from the trustees of Maryport Community Pool CIO regarding the feasibility of the trust running the facility, given the significant revenue deficit implications over a prolonged period.’

Speaking after the executive meeting today (May 30), Cllr Mark Fryer, leader of the council, said: “I welcomed the opportunity for the Place Overview and Scrutiny Committee to have the chance to look in more detail at our decision not to go ahead with a swimming pool at the Wave and to have access to the same information we did in making that decision.

“This information included the independent financial assessment report which showed the potential increased costs of running the Wave Centre could reach £500k a year and that this was not due to short-term transitory issues like the current high rates of inflation.

“It was a difficult decision and I understand the disappointment of many in the Maryport community.

“However, I hope the members of the scrutiny committee understand the financial challenges presented by this project, which we believe make it unsustainable in the long-term.

“Deadlines are also extremely tight and it is unlikely that the project could now be built in the timescales allowed.

“The timing of this decision has been very difficult, coming so soon following the vesting of Cumberland Council.

“Whilst we await the outturn positions of our predecessor councils our budgetary position remains partially unclear, and this decision required a significant financial contribution – both of one-off capital funding, but also ongoing annual revenue spend.

“Cumberland Council is acutely aware of the current economic climate - both in respect of council funding and also of the pressures on the people of Cumberland.

“Any money that we commit to spending must be mindful of those pressures at all times – and just as we all take care of how we spend our own money, so we will take care of how we spend Cumberland’s money.

“Being robust and prudent in our financial management, unfortunately, left us with few options here.

“With hindsight, there are lessons to be learned from this process. I understand why the decision needed to be taken in ‘part two’ due to the commercial confidentiality of the material in question.

“But I do want to make decisions in public as much as possible to maximise transparency, especially on issues of high public interest.

“This is partly why I welcomed the ability to explain the decision to the cross-party scrutiny committee.

“Officers are continuing to look at other options for this scheme and we await feedback on this. I encourage people from the community to be part of that process.”

The executive said they hope that they can continue to work with the trust members on the rescoping of the project.

The public will be consulted on a Plan B for Maryport as soon as possible.