Agenda item

(Report by the Deputy Chief Executive (Strategy).

Full Council considered a referral from the Corporate & Community Committee of a Cabinet decision called-in by Scrutiny Members in accordance with the Council’s Constitution.

The Cabinet decision, made on 9^th September 2020, was:

The Chairman of the Corporate & Community Committee addressed Full Council to present the findings from the Committee’s consideration of the issue at its meeting on 1 October, referring to the original reasons given for calling in the issue, as follows:

·         All Elected Members should have been consulted prior to the decision being made

·         All information relating to the project should have been made available

·         No presentation had been made to the Corporate and Community Committee

·         There were no indication of costs in the 2020/21 Budget and MTFS

The Chairman stated that the Committee had decided to refer the matter to Full Council for debate, as other Members had been unaware that Cabinet would be considering a request for the lease of the Geoff Moulder Centresite.  They were concerned that this would lead to the closure and demolition of the swimming pools when there were no definite or specific plans to replace them.  It was also felt that the estimated cost quoted for replacement was not convincing. The Committee therefore asked Full Council to reconsider the matter and seek clarification of exactly what had been agreed.

During Full Council’s debate, the main concerns raised by some Members were given as follows, in summary:

·         The Geoff Moulder Centre should not be leased until a replacement swimming pool had been designed and constructed, as it was a valued asset;

·         Members were not being kept up-to-date with developments on a matter that should be a decision of Full Council;

·         The lack of consultation with Members and members of the public regarding what was a vital community service;

·         The lack of clarity as to whether there was to be a new pool or whether it was planned to incorporate the existing pool within the proposed Mayflower Centre;

·         The Council had previously spent a significant amount of money on refurbishing the Geoff Moulder Centre and a decision should have been taken to lease the site before that.

Other Members remarked that nothing had been agreed by Cabinet, but it was important to reassure the public that nothing would happen to the Geoff Moulder Centrebefore the provision of a replacement pool and a decision by Full Council. This matter related to the Town Investment Plan bid, for which the deadline was imminent, and which would provide exciting and improved facilities for the people of Boston.  There was a suggestion that it would be advantageous to incorporate a training pool into plans.

The Deputy Leader stressed that Cabinet had not made a decision on the matter and that it had purely given permission to the Deputy Chief Executive (Strategy) to talk to a partner regarding how to facilitate plans.  No decision had been made and when it became time to make a decision, it would be made by Full Council.

On conclusion of debate it was proposed by Councillor Anne Dorrian and seconded by Councillor Alan Bell and