Budget papers revealed that a £5 million redevelopment of Council-owned Splashes Sports Centre have been scrapped, only 7 months after Council was asked to approve the project.

This is just the latest in the Splashes story, as only months after the Medway Labour and Co-operative Group urged caution investment of this size last July, a wave of redundancies to staff were made. Now, the redevelopment is not expected to go ahead.

Cllr Andy Stamp, Medway Labour and Co-operative Group spokesperson for Regeneration said that, ‘We questioned the timing of this £5million redevelopment scheme back in July as well as the practicalities of a financial commitment of this size on leisure facilities amidst the current public health restrictions.

‘Not only did the Council then proceed to make a wave of redundancies at the centre after the spend was approved by full Council, but now months later, have buried news of the redevelopment deep within a 26 page document in a covering paper for the budget.

‘No wonder the Conservative group are embarrassed about this investment U-turn – the entire Splashes story has been one of unfulfilled promises.’

Cllr Vince Maple, Leader of the Medway Labour and Co-operative Group added, ‘The withdrawal of this community investment, buried deep in the budget papers, is an unfortunate reflection of the Medway Conservative Group’s attitude towards service users in our community.

‘This is a shameful situation and I hope to see those staff who have been sacked receive an apology from the Council if Splashes is to reopen.  The Leader of the Council has given a response which has actually posed more questions than answers.’

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