Answers needed on failure to re-open Raich Carter swimming pool

Hendon councillor Ciaran Morrissey is demanding answers from the City Council as the Raich Carter swimming pool shows no signs of re-opening - despite pools being allowed to re-open since May.

The Raich Carter Centre in Hendon has re-opened its other facilities, but the swimming pool still remains closed.

It means residents wanting to swim are having to travel miles to other facilities in the city at Silksworth or next to the Stadium of Light - prompting locals to start a petition urging the Council to re-open the Raich Carter Swimming Pool.

The closure had also impacted on local schools' swimming lessons, with the Council insisting that there was no support they could give schools to get to alternative pools meaning lessons had to be scrapped.

Now the local councillor for the area is demanding that the Council steps in to get the pool back up and running - and to help the community and local school children access other facilities until it re-opens.

Liberal Democrat councillor for Hendon and Grangetown Ciaran Morrissey commented:

"Despite other pools in the city re-opening there's still no sign of ours at the Raich Carter getting back up and running. This lack of information from the Council is fuelling rumours and speculation about the pool's future which isn't helpful.

"As usual, those in charge of the Council either don't care enough to do anything about the problem or are burying their heads in the sand. Ruling Labour councillors should come clean with our community and commit - today - to an action plan to getting this pool open once again.

"It's just not good enough. People in Hendon deserve better and are understandably demanding to know what's going on and when they can expect our local pool to be open again.

"This absolutely must be sorted out before the schools come back from the six weeks' holiday or else we'll have more bairns missing out on swimming lessons that usually take place at the Raich Carter."