Reform councillors scrap £32m leisure centre plan

Decade-long plans for a new multimillion-pound swimming pool and leisure centre in Bradford have been abandoned.

The council's Reform UK-led executive voted to scrap the government-backed Squire Lane project, going against officers' recommendations and despite reassurances that it was a "fully developed scheme" ready for construction.

Officers had urged pressing ahead with the £32.9m project, arguing it would address a long-standing shortage of swimming provision in the area and safeguard £20m of government Levelling Up funding.

However, Andrew Judson, council deputy leader, said: "This project does not, in our opinion, demonstrate good fiscal management and deliver value."

David Shepherd, the council's strategic director for growth, told a meeting of the executive earlier: "The fundamental issue is that Bradford's swimming pool estate is ageing. Most of our public pools are now more than 35 years old, with several dating back to the 1960s and 1970s."

He said the scheme was "not an early stage concept".

"It is a fully developed scheme that is ready to move into construction with a projected opening date in autumn of 2028.

"For an additional borrowing commitment of around £3.9m, the council would secure and retain £20m of external investment that would otherwise be lost."

The meeting at City Hall heard the facility would have served more than 87,000 people living within 1.5 miles and had already secured planning approval.

However, it would have required councillors to approve an additional £5m in capital funding, on top of £7.9m already allocated, alongside the £20m government grant funding the bulk of the project.

Officers argued that rejecting the scheme would likely mean losing the government funding, leave around £5.4m already spent on design and development at risk, and leave Bradford reliant on ageing leisure facilities requiring increasing maintenance.

However, the Reform administration said the project no longer represented good value for money given the council's financial position

Judson said the authority's priority was building a financially resilient council following recent financial difficulties.

He argued the project, first approved in 2019, had changed significantly after the NHS withdrew as a partner and warned there was no guarantee construction costs would not increase further.

He also cited the council's track record on major projects, ongoing borrowing costs and the estimated annual operating subsidy as reasons for opposing the development.

"Financial resilience is achieved through disciplined financial management," Judson told the meeting.

He said there was "no guarantee" costs would not "significantly rise" further by the end of the project, adding: "Bradford Council does not have a good reputation, unfortunately, for keeping large projects within budget."

Some opposition councillors had urged the executive to proceed, describing the facility as "desperately needed" and highlighting the health, educational and social benefits of increasing access to swimming.

Imran Khan, leader of the Labour group, said: "I think it's an absolute no-brainer. We need this facility."

However Geoff Winnard, from the Conservative group, said he had always had "issues" with the project, ever since it was backed by the previous Labour leadership.

"I think it is the wrong development in the wrong place. I think it will turn out to be a white elephant," he said.

The council's chief finance officer Steven Mair warned that if negotiations with the government proved unsuccessful, Bradford could face further "challenges" and financial consequences because the millions already spent on the scheme had been funded through a capital grant linked to the delivery of the project.

"We will have a £5.4m hit to the revenue budget," he said.

However Judson insisted: "The decision of this executive to demonstrate financial restraint and prudence is by not going ahead with this project."

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