AS one wrangle is resolved, another emerges. In its unseemly dash to rebuild the Barbican Centre the council keeps tripping over its own shoelaces.

Today leisure boss Charlie Croft confirmed the Festival Of Remembrance will go ahead in the Barbican in November. Like the Royal British Legion's Ted Griffiths, we are "over the moon".

Much as we support the snooker championships in York, it would have been an act of the deepest disrespect to have placed a group of young pot-shots ahead of our war heroes. Especially in this, the 60th anniversary year of D-Day.

No sooner is that row unpicked then the council tangles itself up in a fresh controversy. The Barbican swimming pool is still being heated and treated despite being closed to the public more than a week ago.

This will baffle the Barbican's many regular swimmers who appealed for the pool to be kept operational at least until the end of the summer holidays.

Common sense dictates two options for the pool. Either its life is over and it is drained, awaiting demolition. Or it is kept open and swimmers can continue to use it.

Instead the council has opted for this Blair-like "third way", where taxpayers pay for the pool to be maintained but are barred from swimming in it.

That old standby, health and safety, is given as the reason. Water pressure is needed to stop the pool falling apart, we are told. Quite why it cannot be drained and cordoned off, at no expense to the public, is not explained.

The key reason swimmers have been prematurely ejected is more embarrassing for the council. They have already deployed the lifeguards elsewhere.

The Barbican's rebirth is proving to be a long and difficult labour.

Updated: 09:29 Thursday, June 17, 2004