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Questions to the new Shropshire Council Leisure portfolio holder

May 24th, 2021

Here's the five questions that Porthill councillor Julian Dean hopes to put to the new Leisure Portfolio holder on Shropshire Council:

  • Meaningful consultation with stakeholders as promised should start immediately
    • Previous claims of consultation have often consisted of a short phone conversation, or a hastily arranged oversight committee
    • The action taken on any inputs should be stated, as SC has often taken feedback & simply ignored it

  • Why is the focus now on a "county" pool in Shrewsbury?
    • Previously the Quarry replacement was looking at a pool for the town, but this switched to one for the county - why?
    • Most other population centres have a pool, from Ludlow, Bridgenorth,& Church Stretton to the south, and Wem, Oswestry, Whitchurch, & Market Drayton in the north. And there's three public pools in Telford & Wrekin

  • QSAFF & the people of Shrewsbury believe the town main pool should be in the Quarry
    • A pool in the Quarry should be at least a 6 lane, 25m with additional water area
    • Previous public consultation 83 percent of participants in the consultation wanted the pool to remain in the town centre
    • This should help with club's who require exclusive use of a facility but who may not wish to pay for a slot in the full-spec competition pool that should be in the town centre

  • How much does the £1m Swim England funding depend on an out-of-town location?
    • The Flower Show manages large numbers of coaches effectively, and there's a lot of town centre car parking within easy walking distance
    • The town centre would see a large benefit from attendees with easy access to the town, rather than being stuck out at Sundorne - How much overnight accommodation is available in the centre against SSV?

  •  Pool area analysis should be conducted based on where the Shrewsbury's population is now ... and will be
    • Following the 2021 Census, and where the local plan determines further new housing is going
    • Travel time by walking, cycling, public transport links, & private car should be compared as part of this