HAVING used the facilities available at Bromsgrove’s Dolphin Leisure Centre from its opening in the 1960s to the present day, I’ve been closely watching the council’s plans for the centre’s replacement, which they consulted the public about in 2010 with a questionnaire.

At the full council meeting in July, we could all read for the first time, the detailed 27-page report on its replacement that councillors voted to accept – which can be read and downloaded from the council’s website.

It states it will be “delivering an exciting new facility for the community”

and that “the new site will be an enhancement to the current provision at the Dolphin Centre”

and is confident it is providing what is needed in Bromsgrove, is affordable and can be built on time within budget and would be expected to open in April, 2017, all of which is debatable.

The estimated cost of £11.5 million involves the borrowing of £9.536 million and the selling off of the adjacent car park for commercial redevelopment at about £1.8 million and requires that it will be self-funding over its approximate 40-year lifespan.

The report being based on a 30 per cent increase in current usage levels with the facilities provided for the option chosen.

Yet is this likely and if not how much bigger could we expect council tax rises to be in Bromsgrove over the following years to help sustain it?

No water flumes or thrilling fun water features to appeal to and attract young people; facilities that are unlikely to be added later as the report tells us that the building’s footprint was shrunk from the size on the original plans to reduce costs and it does not even have a cafe.

A replacement sports hall, it says, is unaffordable.

However, we are told it’s not necessary anyway as apparently the current provision across Bromsgrove is more than adequate to meet current and future demand as schools within the district could provide an alternative venue for community use, together with the provision of outdoor floodlit facilities.

Yet will schools make their facilities available for community use and if so will they be at comparable cost and at convenient times.

If not, it means the people of Bromsgrove will be losing facilities that they have enjoyed for many years The main swimming pool would be shallower than the present one and the spectator gallery seating reduced from the present 186 to 100.

So we are told that in future swimming galas would have to be held elsewhere.

The fitness suite stations would also be reduced from 90 to 80 and a climbing wall would not be included but be an aspiration, should funds become available.

Councillors knew, after a thorough structural report on the Dolphin Centre building was presented to them in 2008, that the most cost effective option was to replace the building.

Delaying decision-making until 2014 means much larger costs and long-term debt for a leisure centre I don’t think can be described as exciting.

A great let-down, particularly for younger residents, as well as a possible big financial burden for future council taxpayers, many of whom these young people may well be.

Malcolm Guest Bromsgrove.