No definite guarantees can be given that repair work to Dundee’s Olympia swimming pools will be finished either on time or on budget.
It comes after it was revealed the pools will be shut until at least October 2023 and cost more than £6 million to repair.
However, an assurance has been given that Dundee City Council will do everything possible to avoid further delays and spiralling costs.
At a council meeting on Wednesday, officers refused to discuss in public whether any action can be taken against the original contractors – Balfour Beatty.
The company built the £33m leisure centre in 2013, under the Mansell Construction Services branding.
Balfour Beatty has so far declined to comment despite repeated approaches from The Courier about its role in the project.
Olympia pool repair works given the green light
Questions relating to budget, timescale and recourse against Balfour Beatty were raised at a special recess sub-committee.
It was agreed to go ahead with major repair works, which will see the pools shut until October 2023 – more than two years after the initial closure.
The pools shut last October after a lighting issue was identified, but much more significant work is now needed at the facility.
It comes after The Courier revealed the work will cost more than £6m – more than £1.5m more than the price the council originally estimated.
It was also said the pools would re-open in later 2022.
Delivering on time and on budget will be a ‘challenge’
Asked by Labour group leader Kevin Keenan if the works can be delivered on time and on budget, Neil Martin, the council’s head of design and property, admitted that would be a challenge.
Mr Martin said: “We can’t give any guarantees but we can give a guarantee that we will give on-site progress and that we are working to deliver on spec and to the standards discussed.”
The council’s head of democratic and legal services Roger Mennie was asked by Mr Keenan if he could discuss if any action was to be taken against the original contractors.
Mr Mennie replied: “I have previously given legal advice to members of the committee but legally I cannot discuss that today in a public forum.”
Mr Keenan called for this issue to be taken to a future meeting of the scrutiny committee he chairs, for “full transparency”, which was agreed by the committee.
He said: “At scrutiny scrutiny committee I can request that officers bring forward more details, records of when defects were first identified and who should have taken action.
“I believe the public has the right to know how we got in the position and who is responsible or the poor design and lack of maintenance.
“I will also be asking again – was the original contractor at fault in any way.”
Demolition and replacement wouldn’t give value for money
Given the scale of the problems, calls have recently been made to demolish and re-build the Olympia, but this was ruled out due to an estimated cost of more than £80m.
Robin Presswood, head of city development, told councillors this would not give value for money.
But David Haig of Dundee City Aquatics – the biggest swimming club in the city – questioned the cost of a new facility.
He said: “I am a little surprised that the cost of alternative actions were not explored as well as a plan to repair.
“The suggestion of £80m to replace, in my opinion, was just scaremongering.
“I really hope this decision – to repair as proposed – is the correct one, will address all the issues, and that we will not be revisiting these or other faults in a few years time.”
He added: “Although re-opening is some time away, DCA and the swimming community really look forward to it happening.
“We also hope to work with Leisure and Culture Dundee in advance, to ensure better use of the facility, and develop aquatics, increasing income and opportunity.”
Lessons must be learned
Liberal Democrat group leader Fraser Macpherson hopes there will not be a repeat of the failings which led to the closure of the Olympia pools.
He said: “I am really concerned over the cost and the timescale.
“I also hope lessons have been learned and that going forward there will be ongoing maintenance to prevent the debacle that has happened on this occasion.
“We don’t want to find ourselves back in the same situation at any point in the future.”
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