Victoria Baths Decision

The Executive Board met on 21 April to discuss, among other things, which of the three options for the development of the Victoria Leisure Centre to go with.

It will probably come as no surprise to the campaigners that Option C was chosen. This was the option involving the demolition of the centre, apart from the historic clock tower, and the fewest leisure facilities. It was also the most expensive option but happily frees up a nice juicy big chunk of development land.

The minutes record that 'consideration' was given to a minute extract from the last meeting of the St Anns and Dales Area Committee meeting which had previously considered the various options in order to make a recommendation. Unfortunately we don't know what that recommendation was because the minutes of that meeting have yet to be made public.

Whatever the outcome of the Area Committee meeting, the Executive Board decided to go with the report of the Corporate Director of Community and Culture which, not only endorsed option C but had been written before the Area Committee had even had a chance to meet and the final options. I wonder how important they're feeling right now?

The Save the Victoria Baths Campaign have long been arguing that option C was not the one wanted by locals and had amassed quite a bit of evidence to back this up. Have a look at their website where they explain all that and make your own mind up about how much local opinion matters to the boys and girls in the Council House.