Getting Folkestone and Hythe Swimming Again
At the Folkestone and Hythe District Council meeting of 25th February, Cabinet Member for Finance Tim Prater was asked twice about the commitment to investing in new swimming facilities in the budget. Tim was happy to confirm there was £2.4m budgeted towards Folkestone Sports Centre to see that re-opened, and up to £6m for a refurbishment of Hythe Swimming Pool.
Both decisions however were to be made at later meetings: the budget allows the space for both projects to proceed in the new financial year.
Tim's answers to the questions from Councillors were:
6. From Councillor Godfrey to Councillor Prater, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Finance and Governance
The MTCP which will be discussed later his evening contains provision for £6 million for the refurbishment of Hythe Pool of which £ 2 million will be required from prudential borrowing in 2026/27. Whilst the Conservative group is fully supportive of providing a pool in Hythe it questions the wisdom of spending this large amount of money on an ailing pool which has already cost residents substantial sums annually simply to patch it and keep it open with no income stream fully supporting it. Could the Cabinet Member advise where members can review the full business case and financial justification including assumptions on capital funding, borrowing costs, projected income, ongoing operating subsidies, projected lifetime and lifecycle maintenance?
"Thank you for your question, Cllr Godfrey. I am very pleased to be able to put forward a provisional sum of £6m in the MTCP which forms part of the balanced budget that will considered by all councillors later this evening.
“You will know that officers presented the council’s strategic leisure approach to Overview and Scrutiny Committee in January. This included a capital grant contribution to assist with reopening Folkestone Sports Centre, refurbishment of Hythe Pool and consideration of the land at Martello Lakes. The report also noted that further future provision would be provided at Otterpool Park which is part of the planning permission and will serve the biggest catchment area. Members of Overview and Scrutiny Committee were supportive of the strategic leisure approach.
“At present the £6m for the Hythe Pool refurbishment is a provisional sum. There is a considerable amount of work underway with officers working closely with leisure centre consultants to consider the options for the refurbishment project. These options will include a like for like refurbishment, a value engineered option and enhanced options. All options will include replacing of the plant and equipment so this is not a case of patching up what is already there.
“Officers are also considering green technology for the building including air source and ground source heating options and solar panels to improve the carbon efficiency and reduce the running costs.
“The work underway will include a full analysis of the capital costs, maintenance costs and income streams to inform a business case that will be presented to Overview and Scrutiny Committee and Cabinet later this Spring. That is when a decision on to proceed, and the scope of works, will be made. However when they do, this budget gives scope to look at a wide range of options, and to start in year.’
7. From Councillor A Martin to Councillor Prater, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Finance and Governance
The Cabinet has agreed to pay a £2.4m grant to support Folkestone Sports Centre. A one-off capital grant intended in part to make the facility more sustainable is more acceptable than an ongoing commitment to subsidise, and most would agree that we should support the pool reopening. It is however a significant concern that we should be spending such a large amount of money to support an asset our council does not own and without direct control over its management. Can Councillor Prater please share why the council is comfortable offering a grant, rather than (for instance) a loan secured on land owned by the charity and lay out the business case that demonstrates that the facility can be run sustainably without risking the pool closing and the council wasting residents’ money?
"Thank you for your question Cllr Martin. As per my previous response to Cllr Godfrey regarding Hythe Pool, Overview and Scrutiny Committee considered this matter as part of the wider strategic leisure approach at its meeting in January. Members at that meeting, as you’ll know, agreed that it was important that we support the Sports Trust to get Folkestone pool open as soon as possible.
“You will be aware that we have paid a significant annual revenue grant, not loan, to the Folkestone Sports Centre for as long as I can remember. However, now the council have been approached regarding the possibility of a more substantial but one-off capital grant. That allows them to make a major investment, including in reducing their running costs, and with no request for ongoing subsidy.
“However, the budget within the Capital Programme represents an in principle allocation. Cabinet will formally consider and decide the matter at its meeting in March. Investment in any leisure facility carries a certain level of risk. Officers have been working hard to minimise these risks and address these through the careful drafting of the grant agreement. That agreement will be considered at that time, to ensure it both enables the pool to open as soon as possible and ensures swimming there long into the future.
“I can confirm though that it has been agreed with the Sports Trust that there will be a charge on the land in favour of the council for the period of the grant agreement in which the pool must remain open, be available for swimming lessons, swimming clubs and schools. This is designed to safeguard the interests of the Council and local taxpayers, and will be a part of the consideration of the grant in March."