Surprisingly, the unnamed reporter alludes to a £1 million under-spend by Castle Point Borough Council (CPBC), last year; but, as Jeff Stanley pointed-out (when presenting the annual accounts to council last week) the £1 million was money allocated to projects that, at the year end, had not been completed.
Consequently, the funds had been shown carried forward on the council’s Balance Sheet, to complete those tasks, in the current financial year.
The facts appear to have been lost on the Echo – and on Swann (who, with her sister, just happens to own the Concord Cafe which is situated between the two overly-publicised pools).
Seizing upon the Echo’s misrepresentation, Lea is reported as saying:-
‘It’s ludicrous.
'They obviously don’t care what the public think, they should be more accountable to the local electorate who pay their wages.’Well, is that not the point, Lea? The council is being accountable to the electorate of Castle Point. Council knew that it was going to face substantial government cuts after the election – and chose to close a pool.
It is widely acknowledged that they chose to close the wrong one; but your campaign is not about that, is it?..
Colin Letchford’s examination and report on the two pools were damning: the old pool is much safer than the new. His report was published; petitioned islanders agreed; and CPBC capitulated.
Since then islanders have been asking themselves what all the continuing fuss is about. Why does CPBC not close the new pool and, instead, spend the Canvey pool budget renovating the old?
Does it have something to do with the fact that such a decision would equally damage the Swann sisters’ seasonal beach cafe business?
Castle Point Borough Council has been exceedingly patient. They have chosen to address the old pool’s main safety concerns to ensure it can be used this season – and to provide further time for their discussions with Canvey Town Council (CTC) who wishes to take the old pool over. However, it is evident that CTC will need to significantly increase the contribution of residents through their Council Tax if they are to realise that ambition.
It seems that the Canvey Island Independent Party (CIIP) is unwilling to release their hold on an issue that, misrepresented in a way that only the CIIP can manage, allowed them to maintain their island grip in the last local elections. But what further political capital can they hope to wring from it now?
The Borough faces swingeing cuts over the next four years; but the Town Council continues to live in Cloud Cuckoo Land. While CPBC brings officers’ and councillors’ minds to bear upon the important issue of achieving 25 percent cuts – rather than the 10 percent previously predicted, the Town Council continues with its profligate spending on Canvey Lake; Summer Fun and Canvey Seaside Pool Consultations for which residents will pick-up the bill.
Can we not call it a day now, and allow borough councillors to get back to more important matters – rather than the Echo pursuing them for the same old quote?
This time, the Echo quoted Jeff Stanley as saying:-
‘We’ve said all along there are two paddling pools down there and the authority can only afford to pay for the upkeep of one of them.
‘It would be wonderful to afford everything, but it simply isn’t prudent financial management.’When are you going to start putting the needs of local residents first, TC (rather than your local business chums)?..
That damned pool just won't go away will it?
ReplyDeleteEvidently the Town Council wants the issue to continue so they can make more political capital from the Borough Council's original decision - but what the hell are they doing about it?
Either they want to take it over - or they realise they can't afford to. Are they planning to put the pool issue forward as the reason for raising next year's TC precept from islanders?
I suspect that is the reason for the continual delay. The TC can't raise the issue of increased costs now - because residents will demand they cancel their summer fun programme to pay for it.