Sports Strategy - flawed and not based on evidence

11.46.32am BST (GMT +0100) Tue 23rd Jun 2009

Cllr David Ward, chair of the Bradford North Area Committee has written to Phil Barker, Assistant Director Leisure Services about the sports strategy which he says is flawed and not based on the evidence.

In his letter he says,

" There have been two consultant's reports and I can find no evidence to support the provision of a new swimming pool in Bingley and certainly no evidence to support this as a priority for the council.

We support the provision of a city centre pool which should be the first priority and we have asked previously for much needed work to be done to make sure that the pool meets the needs of children who cannot swim. Whilst over all progress at Key Stage 2 is reasonable, there are still 24 schools where less than 50% of pupils achieve the standard. These schools are concentrated in the inner city areas of Bradford and Keighley.

The second priority for the district must be a pool at Odsal. It must be at least 25 metres long and be a replacement for the pool at Richard Dunn

The council has many calls on its capital resources and certainly insufficient to meet all of the demand . To place additional pressures by promoting a flawed strategy is not a budget plan we will support.'