Opposition councillors have hit out at promises by Labour councillors to rebuild a crumbling swimming pool claiming they have “done nothing” for three years.

On Wednesday Councillor Stephen Alambritis, leader of the council announced plans to rebuild Morden Park Pool as part of an £11m project.

The facility has long suffered from a number of problems which have included ceiling tiles crashing into the pool, lengthy closures due to boiler problems and leaks and poor changing room conditions.

Plans to rebuild the 33m pool emerged in 2010 however the plans never materialised.

Now, three years on, Labour councillors have renewed their wish to rebuild the pool confirming that £11m has been set aside to fund the project ahead of a planning consultation.

However opposition councillors have accused the Labour administration of "doing nothing" for three years said their renewed calls for a rebuild have been prompted by the submission of a recent conservative motion ahead of a full council meeting.

Councillor Samantha George, Conservative spokesman for leisure and culture said: “Conservatives allocated £11m for a new leisure centre in Morden back in March 2010 so the money is there and always has been.

"Why then won’t Labour commit to a timetable for work to start rather than delaying year after year?

"It is curious that just 24 hours after publication of a Conservative motion calling for immediate action on Morden Park Pool, Labour councillors suddenly issue a press release saying they’re now going to look at rebuilding it.

"The reality is they’ve been forced into this by the Conservative campaign, having wasted three and a half years doing absolutely nothing."

Responding to the barbs from the opposition Councillor Stephen Alambritis, leader of the council, said: “Over the last three years we have made sure we have locked in good financial management and that there is good discipline in the council.

“When you enter into a project as big as £11m the financial prudence has to be embedded throughout the council - that’s why it’s taken so long.”

He added: “The motion tabled by the conservatives has no veracity.

“It’s all over the place and it’s just the standard stuff we get from the Tories around about this time that whenever we do something good for the borough their standard line is we called for this ages ago.

“Anything we do good Councillor Samantha George will lay claim to.

“We have no time for motions like that.

“What we do is for residents. “

 

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