To receive and consider the report of the Director of Commercial Services.

1.         Approval to utilise part of the approved Leisure Centre Improvements budget to enable essential structural repair works to be carried out to Brinscall Swimming Pool, work to include repairing structural floors and tank walls. This option would require the closure of the pool for approximately 6 months.

2.         Approval to undertake a competitive tender for urgent refurbishment works to Brinscall Pool through the open Chest portal in accordance with procurement procedures.

3.         Approval to delegate authority to the Executive Member (Resource) to award the contract to undertake refurbishment works following completion of tender process.

Councillor Peter Wilson, Executive Member (Resources), presented the report of the Director of Commercial Services which sought approval to procure urgent, essential, structural repair works through competitive tendering via open chest portal and approval to delegate authority for the Executive Member (Resources) to award the contract.

Due to the ongoing degradation of structural steel reinforcement and concrete to the main pool area floors, the integrity of the pool structure had now reached a point where extreme failure of the structure could occur.

Members noted the option to close the facility, but agreed it was an important community facility.  The option to carry out full structural repair works had been estimated to cost £1,200,000 and would require closure of pool for 12 months was not supported.

Opportunities to secure funding from external sources, such as the Lottery, would be investigated.  It was aimed that during the closure of the facility additional sessions would be offered at All Sessions leisure centre.

Decision:

1.      Approval to utilise part of the approved Leisure Centre Improvements budget to enable essential structural repair works to be carried out to Brinscall Swimming Pool, work to include repairing structural floors and tank walls. This option would require the closure of the pool for approximately 6 months.

2.      Approval to undertake a competitive tender for urgent refurbishment works to Brinscall Pool through the open Chest portal in accordance with procurement procedures.

3.      Approval to delegate authority to the Executive Member (Resource) to award the contract to undertake refurbishment works following completion of tender process.

Reasons for recommendations:

1.     Due to the ongoing degradation of structural steel reinforcement and concrete to the main pool area floors, the integrity of the pool structure has now reached a point where extreme failure of the structure could occur.

2.     Failure to repair the defective concrete floor will render the facility not safe for use in the very near future, requiring the closure of the pool.

3.     Temporary propping has been carried out over the last 12 years to enable the building to remain open, however the temporary propping is no longer adequate to ensure the safe operation of the building. A longer-term solution is now urgently needed to ensure the ongoing usability of the pool.

Other options considered and rejected:

1.     The introduction of permanent propping of floors has been considered, and detailed structural designs have been sought. Appendix D shows the extend of propping which would be required to secure the floors to enable the facility to remain open in the short to medium term. It was estimated that the propping proposed could extend the life of the pool for 2 – 3 years before remedial works would be unavoidable. The costs to undertake this work would be considerable therefore it is considered that these funds would be better spent on delivering the long term solution.

2.     Carry out full structural repair works requiring the stripping out of the existing floors and recasting new structural member and floors. Works will require the complete refurbishment of changing room areas and tiling of the pool deck & tank. Significant additional cost would be incurred to undertake these works and would require closure of pool for 12 months. This could extend the pool structure life up to an additional 50 years.

3.     The final option to consider would be the closure of the pool and the possible redevelopment of the existing site. This option was considered not to be appropriate at this time.