In 2004 Speedwell Swimming Pool was closed with a promise to open a new swimming pool as part of the new Bristol Brunel Academy school building, however when the school opened in 2007 by PM Gordon Brown, the pool wasn’t built and the Liberal Democrats made it as part of a six to fix election promise for Bristol to build a new swimming pool at Bristol Brunel Academy if they win in 2009 which they won by a landslide. In 2012 after being reminded of this promise the Bristol Liberal Democrats budgeted nearly £6 Million to build a new exciting pool next to the new sports facilities complex at the new school. Three months later and after £525,000 spent on the plans (plans below), the pool was ready to be be built. In November 2012 the Elected Mayor for Bristol was chosen to run the city and George Ferguson cut the pool so that a new Arena could be built at Temple Meads and all as part of austerity cuts and so the city was still being able to have a city central arena which was supported by full council at City Hall (council house). With this decision to cut a new Speedwell Pool, both Labour and the Liberal Democrats said they wanted the pool and shouted from the rooftops. Labour in particular wanted the new Speedwell Pool above anything else and Cllr Ron Stone led the campaign for an new pool for the rest of his life (rip Cllr Ron Stone).
For the next three and half years Labour brought up the need for a new swimming pool for Speedwell at each and every meeting at City Hall, they cried more crocodile tears than there is water found in the Harbourside for a new Speedwell Pool. No meeting ever passed without a new pool mentioned, every campaign had the flyers mentioning the need for a new pool and every meeting had the new Speedwell Pool as the top priority for North East Bristol. From 2009 to 2015 in particular every priority for Hillfields neighbourhood meetings saw the people vote for a new Speedwell Pool above anything else, they chose this above policing priorities and above grants for other priorities. Sometimes Neighbourhood Officers were surprised that the pool was the chosen priority but they all accepted it.
In late Spring 2016 Labour were elected to run Bristol, the people who voted Labour finally would see their new Swimming Pool built at Bristol Brunel Academy and the old Fire Station would have the new Primary School which the site was bought to become but had been temporarily used for guardian housing and the promised Arena would still go ahead at Temple Meads as the election promise by Marvin Rees throughout his campaign.
However now just weeks before 2021 there’s no new Arena at Temple Meads (see a link below by Joanna Booth), no new Swimming Pool at Speedwell and no new Primary School on the old Fire Station site.
It’s not political to write this here, it’s factual. Instead of a new swimming pool, today Jubilee Swimming Pool based across the city faces closure under Labour. How is any of this democratic when Marvin was elected with Labour promises?
Picture above shows the new swimming pool which has never been built and this picture is all that remains from £525,000 of investment on the plans.
One man, two plans, and approval guaranteed by freelance journalist Joanna Booth
The new Arena at Temple Meads which was an election promise by Marvin Rees was cancelled. Freedom of Information tells an alarming story.
Visit https://medium.com/@jo.stillawake/one-man-two-plans-and-approval-guaranteed-239fe45d7c06
