WORKINGTON MP Mark Jenkinson has written to the Levelling Up Secretary of State to encourage her to accept the revised plans for Maryport, as the council leader says he hopes government make a ‘swift decision’ on funding for the project.

Mr Jenkinson said a question mark was hanging over elements of the £11.5million Future High Street Funds after Cumberland Council’s Executive voted to cancel a new planned swimming pool at the Wave, funded by the government.

He said the decision 'put the funding at risk', with the council leadership now seeking to use the money for projects outside the original boundaries of the scheme and on land not owned by the authority, with only months to go to the spending deadline.

With the deadline fast approaching, Mark Jenkinson contacted Dehenna Davison MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Levelling Up, urging her accept the council’s ‘Plan B’ and retain the government investment in Maryport.

The revised plans include a promenade café and upgrade recreation area including a BMX and skateboard track, and a splash park which he says is outside the Future High Streets boundary.

Mr Jenkinson said: “I have made no secret of my disappointment with Cumberland Council’s decision to shelve plans for a new pool in my constituency, the second time Labour have ripped a swimming pool from the heart of Maryport.

"This fully-funded and aspirational project would have made a welcome improvement to the lives of the people of Maryport as well as those of surrounding towns and villages.

“However, we are where we are – and I did not want to see Maryport miss out on the benefits that this alternative scheme could bring, whilst recognising that the benefits would have been far greater if we had the swimming pool planned as part of the original submission.

“I therefore wrote to Dehenna Davison MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Levelling Up, urging her to accept Cumberland Council’s Project Adjustment Request.”

Cllr Mark Fryer, leader of Cumberland Council, said: “In April this year, executive members met to consider the future of the swimming pool project at the Wave Centre in Maryport.

“Upon seeing the independent financial assessment, it was clear that the Council simply could not afford to commit the significant amount of revenue funding required to subsidise the running of this pool.

“This wasn’t simply a case of finding additional capital funding for the increased build costs, it was about the long-term funding of operational costs for a swimming pool that was unlikely to ever be financially sustainable – and 13 years of Conservative Government austerity cuts have left local councils in no position to support non-statutory services on such a scale.

“The decision not to proceed with the project has been reviewed by the Council’s Place Overview and Scrutiny committee, and this cross-party committee, noting the independent financial assessment, accepted the decision.

“I am hoping for a swift decision from Government which will allow us to forge ahead with a great development.”