COUNCILLOR WELCOMES 'SWIM TORQUAY' REPORT

5.14.45pm BST (GMT +0100) Mon 12th May 2008

Liberal Democrat Councillor for St. Marychurch Alan Faulkner has welcomed a report from Torbay Council's Overview and Scrutiny Board that is going to the Elected Mayor's Cabinet on Tuesday 20th May.

In January Councillor Faulkner asked for the Overview and Scrutiny Board to discuss be placed on the agenda following correspondence from a local teacher and reports in the local media concerning mounting repair bills.

The report from the Council's Overview and Scrutiny Board to the Cabinet suggests a number of positive ways forward. They are:

The results of energy efficiency and Structural surveys be discussed with the Swim Torquay Management Committee and the Cabinet Member for Community Services;

The Council to explore the feasibility of a financial contribution from the Children's Services budget, in line with the provision of services by the pool for local children and young people via schools and clubs;

The existing Swim Torquay item on the Council's capital programme be reconsidered as a priority;

The Director of Finance and the Director of Law and Support in consultation with the Deputy Mayor be requested to review the lease of the Council owned land providing the site for swim Torquay, to establish whether the current fee is in the best interest of the local community;

Consideration be given to targeting appropriate funds from Section 106 Planning Obligations to the maintenance of the Swim Torquay building and its facilities.

Councillor Faulkner said: "When I asked for Swim Torquay to be placed on the agenda of and Overview and Scrutiny meeting, the future looked bleak. I would strongly urge the Elected mayor to take on board the recommendations from the Scrutiny Board and accept them. If the Council takes this positive step forward then Swim Torquay may have a future after all."