Yearsley swimming pool campaigners reassured after meetings with councillors

Fiona Evans, leader of the Yearsley Pool Action Group, yesterday first met City of York Council’s Liberal Democrat leisure boss Coun Nigel Ayre and then Labour group leader Coun James Alexander and deputy leader Coun Tracey Simpson-Laing.

Both sought to allay her concerns and reassure her they were committed to the pool’s future.

The meeting came after The Press reported last month how York leisure chief Charlie Croft had said in a briefing document to Coun Alexander: “Each year, as the council is financially squeezed, the future of Yearsley comes into question, especially in terms of best value.”

He later issued a statement saying the future of the pool was not in doubt, there had not been a review of it and there were certainly no plans to close it.

Ms Evans said after her meetings that group members were “relieved and delighted” the executive had reaffirmed its long-standing commitment to the pool’s future.

She said: “Coun Ayre has assured us that closure is not an option, especially as his group recently invested in a superb refurbishment of this much loved and much needed facility.”

She claimed the Labour group had a “lamentable” history over the pool but Coun Alexander had willingly apologised for that and offered a very welcome assurance that his group was committed to its future.

“We are grateful for that, but on technical advice do not agree it is vital to invest a gas system to secure the pool’s future.”

Coun Ayre said he had wanted to meet Fiona to show his party’s support for the facility.

He said: “We invested £1.2 million in improving the pool in 2007 and that investment helped bring the pool up to date.”

Coun Simpson-Laing said the party had no plans to close the pool and was calling for investment in it to reduce the taxpayers’ subsidy required, and a petition organised in support of the pool by the party had so far collected nearly 400 signatures.