A ROW has broken out over the reopening of a swimming baths in Redcar.

Jacob Young MP for Redcar visited Eston Baths to assess the facility's condition on Friday alongside council officers and representatives from the operator, Everyone Active.

As a result of flooding and damage to equipment, officers have concluded that the pool area and plant room require major investment and are not in a state to reopen in April, when leisure facilities are due to reopen.

While Mr Young said he remains committed to having swimming facilities in the TS6 area, he called out "dishonest and irresponsible" councillors pushing for an April reopening.

But Cllr Sue Jeffery of South Bank ward, said Mr Young was trying to “discredit those who are trying to get the council cabinet to change their mind and agree to council plans that will get the baths open again”.

Mr Young said: "I know that lots of people have been asked to sign a petition on saving Eston Baths lately, so I wanted to update you on what’s going on.

"I am absolutely committed to having a Swimming Pool in TS6 and that is a red line for me. I have raised it in Parliament already and will continue to do so.

"Unfortunately, Eston Baths is in a sorry state. It was already in a bad position pre-Covid and now it's even worse. Due to recent flooding, and damage to equipment, the pool can’t reopen without major investment.

"The council are saying this may cost £1.7 million so they’re taking a step back to consider all options - that's the responsible thing to do.

"But some councillors have said we should open the baths on April 12th, when all pools and gyms are allowed to reopen. It’s dishonest and irresponsible of them to say this - the baths aren’t operable or safe in their current state."

Cllr Jeffrey said: "Instead of putting the work in to help, he would rather try and discredit those who are trying to get the council cabinet to change their mind and agree to council plans that will get the baths open again while proposals for a new leisure centre are drawn up.

"I know local people want the baths open because nearly 2,500 have now signed our petition to repair and re-open.

"I can only think that Mr Young is not aware that a fully costed plan to bring the baths back into use was ready to go for decision to the Redcar and Cleveland Cabinet this week. That report sadly never made it to the agenda because senior councillors changed their mind at the last minute about going ahead with the repairs.

"The fact is £1.7m would have allowed the pump room at the baths to be relocated to the site of the old learners pool – thus giving the baths a new lease of life – for as long as 15 years. Cash was also included for some limited refurbishment.

"This plan is sitting on the shelf, ready to go – all it takes is for the Cabinet member to agree and if that happened now I have been told the baths could be open by the summer. Mr Young should be standing with us calling on the Council Cabinet to approve their fully worked up and costed proposals.

"We will then have plenty of time to draw up plans for a new leisure centre and consult with the community about what it should include and where it should go. We also have time to find the cash it would cost to build.

"We need to remember the new leisure centre at Ingleby Barwick cost £14m and was more than five years in the planning. I expect a new leisure centre at Eston to cost at least that much and take just as long, that means children at school in Eston now may never get the chance to learn to swim in their local baths."

Denying Cllr Jeffrey's claims, Mr Young said: "I am absolutely committed to ensuring we have a Swimming Pool, in TS6 for the people of TS6 - but having seen what I have, I think it’s time we had a new pool altogether."


"But in all of these solutions, the baths will sadly not be able to reopen for another 12 months. We have to be honest with residents. That's the responsible thing to do.


"It's sad that some Councillors are using this as part of their cheap political games. I'm not interested in that. I'm interested in actually finding a solution and being honest with people.


"I want to thank local independent councillors, like Sandra Smith, who have worked constructively so far on this, and I will continue to work with them to ensure we keep a pool in TS6."

 

The petition can be viewed here.