Labour-led administration pause schemes like Pitsea Pool, citing Covid-19 financial pressures, but push ahead with costly pet projects for Basildon Town Centre

Basildon Conservatives have been working on bringing back a swimming pool to Pitsea since 2018, with plans for a swim-gym concept at Eversley.

As soon as Labour took power in May last year, backed by so-called ‘Independents’, they stopped the Pitsea Swimming Pool project. They pretended there was no plan, that the £2.5 million allocated to it would not even cover the water to fill up the pool, and that there was nowhere to put it. Under pressure from local councillors Craig Rimmer and Luke Mackenzie, by the Autumn they had caved in and found the original plans, location and budget, that had been voted on in February 2019.

Now, unfortunately, once again Labour have stopped the pool. At a meeting of the Neighbourhoods and Public Spaces Committee last night, they voted to prioritised building 25-storey tower blocks, a 5,000-seater stadium, and a £4.2m ‘Youth Zone’ in Basildon.

"Since Labour got in with their Independent friends it has been like swimming through custard to get the pool built." ~ Cllr Craig Rimmer

Cllr Craig Rimmer, Conservative Councillor for Pitsea South-East, said: “All through our time as Councillors, I and my colleague Luke Mackenzie have been campaigning for the swimming pool to be built. Since Labour got in with their Independent friends it has been like swimming through custard to get the pool built. The residents need this pool for their health and wellbeing and as a community asset but it is stopped while projects in Basildon continue. They say finances are short because of Covid-19 and that Pitsea, not Basildon, should pay.”

"It makes no sense to pause [Pitsea Pool] but continue with the Youth Zone, when the pool is essentially self-financing and the Youth Zone has an ongoing £400,000 annual running cost." ~ Cllr Kevin Blake

Cllr Kevin Blake, Conservative Spokesman for Neighbourhoods and Public Spaces, said: “There is a lack of consistency in the Administration’s approach. As Conservatives, we have continually stated that until the finances of the Council are understood following the pandemic then all non-essential projects with a real cost to the Council should be suspended. My colleague Cllr Rimmer made a strong case for Pitsea Pool to continue. It makes no sense to pause that but continue with the Youth Zone, when the pool is essentially self-financing and the Youth Zone has an ongoing £400,000 annual running cost. Where is the consistency?”

At the same meeting, Cllr Malcolm Buckley, Conservative Councillor for Wickford Castledon, brought forward a proposal to seek to protect Wick Green in Wickford by bringing a report to the committee as soon as possible on its future. Regrettably, this proposal was voted down with the casting vote of the Chairman, Cllr David Harrison, himself a Wickford Independents councillor.

Cllr Andy Baggott, Leader of the Conservative Group, added: “Yet again the Alliance show their true colours, pushing ahead with plans that they tell residents that they want rather than actually listening to residents. Once more, Cllr Harrison is more concerned about pleasing his Labour masters than doing what is right for all residents. Shameful!”