At last night’s SK Business and Economic Summit 2018, I was expecting there might be an announcement regarding progress towards the new Deepings Leisure Centre promised last year at the SK Business and Economic Summit 2017. I have been asking questions about this project, informally and formally, throughout the year.

There was indeed an announcement (Drum roll, please) …

“Last year I also made a commitment to renewing and upgrading our leisure provision across the District.

This is a major undertaking and will represent a significant investment in each of our four market towns.

Plans for this investment are progressing well and will see the provision of new leisure centres in Stamford and Market Deeping.

We will also be keeping and investing heavily in our facilities in Bourne and Grantham.

We are currently in the process of determining locations for each of these new sites and what facilities will be provided, and we intend to announce the details in early 2019.”

Cllr Matthew Lee, Leader of SKDC, 11th October 2018.

Well that’s a bit of a disappointment. A whole year has passed and we don’t even have a location and we don’t know what facilities will be provided.

I’m not entirely surprised as informal conversations with staff at both SKDC and Deepings School suggest there isn’t yet a clear disposal strategy for the existing pool which is on its last legs, reliant on a decrepit 1970s heating system and riddled with asbestos. Furthermore, there only appears to have been one formal conversation with the Deepings Swimming Club regarding the needs and aspirations they have for the hundreds of young people who train at the pool for swimming at a local, national and internatial level.

Surely, it isn’t possible that the details of the new pools are being kept in reserve ready for announcement just weeks before the District Council elections in May? No, it would be cynical of anyone even to suggest the idea!