they are building a new pool, so you have to pay for better facilities, it will stop the dirty scum from batheing there.

It hasnt been used in years, knock it down and build a venue suitable for all year even i winter with heated pool.

Totally agree aroundtown, if we want to improve the health of all RCT residents bring in better facilities, the paddling pool is old and grotty and a new Lido, heated could be used all year round, even heated which would not cost much more by using a air source heat pump could provide heated hot water all year round.

I read through the council report and it does say about solar panels being fitted but there isnt any real detail on it.

The pools (all 3 of them) will be heated so really the Lido can be used all year round

If Pontypridd doesnt want this investment give it to us in Cynon

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/2012/11/15/popular-town-poo...

http://pontylibdems.org.uk/en/article/2012/631138/putting-it-simply-labo...

Not at all Gibbsy, I openly welcome any sensible rebuttal. I am not RCTBC, and my principles are deeply founded in a staunch belief in the democratic way!

It was not the loveable dormice that I was getting on about,
it was the cost of the bridge itself. I do apologise if I didn't make that clear.

You see Hampshire County Council in order to protect its wildlife spent only £7,000 so that dormice and lizards can cross a road safely.

Only £2,000 was invested in an 18-foot high-wire walkway for Dormice and £5,000 on a tunnel for lizards so that the creatures can bypass the busy entrance to a new park and ride!

Response to Council Leader - who's playing poitics now?

November 20, 2012 12:35 AM
Cllr Anthony Christopher had his secretary send a letter on his behalf to Mrs Amanda Jones, who is a member of the steering committee of SOS Pontypridd Paddling Pool which she posted on the Facebook site. It repeats once again many of their standard lines, partiularly the one about us using it as a political football.

It is so outrageous that I thought a reply was warranted, so here it is:

Dear Anthony

I have been reading your letter to Mrs Amanda Jones which she has placed on the SOS Pontypridd Paddling Pool Facebook site. It really does you no credit to continue with this attitude that this is all down to us - flattered though we are that you think us capable of stirring up such a furore just for the sake of our 'political ends.'

Can I first of all clarify a few points? We have not 'hijacked' this issue at all. We were the ones who first brought it to the attention of the public several years ago when the plan was to remove the paddling pool and replace it with a 'splash play area.' You were part of the administration back in 2009 when Welsh Liberal Democrat Councillors put forward a motion to retain the paddling pool. You of course all voted against it.

We have campaigned for some time to save the paddling pool, long before the current SOS campaign was set up. It featured in our early literature prior to the Council election last May, and was attracting quite some attention. In what now seems little more than a cynical ploy to try and retain votes your then Labour leader Russell Roberts announced that the paddling pool was to stay because of the strong public feeling about it. You party manifesto stated that you intended to keep the paddling pool - there in black and white, a direct lie to the public.

You also said that your manifesto was the only fully costed one to be put forward. If it was indeed fully costed then surely you must have factored in the cost of retaining the paddling pool. Or was that another example of your attempts to mislead the public? Your letter to Mrs Jones states that "It has been a complete folly of those involved to mislead the public that there is any other option other than the one the Council is pursing." How foolish then was the Labour manifesto, and what other promises will turn out to be pie in the sky?

So who was playing political games then? Which of us was engaged in a blatant piece of political opportunism for their own ends? The internet has many uses and advantages, one being that people can so easily do their research, look back, and see for themselves who is telling the truth.

RCT Welsh Liberal Democrats - in particular Cllr Mike Powell and myself - have indeed played a major part in this campaign, and worked alongside residents to get the community poll and keep the campaign rolling in other ways. There has been no subterfuge involved here, we have been open about what we are doing - indeed you will find a number of articles on my blog and our website referring to the campaign and openly stating that this is a political as well as a community issue. These were also put on the SOS Facebook site by me, so there has never been any attempt to hide anything.

We wrote, printed, and paid for the leaflets that advertised the meeting and the community poll - again perfectly openly. Nobody was forced to get involved, they did so because they cared about the issue not because we were leading it.

Mrs Jones does appear in a couple of the press releases I have written, as do others. We are not afraid to be inclusive, unlike yourselves it often seems.

Surely politicians should be involved in community issues and campaigns, even leading them? I thought that was the backbone of Labour politics, but then there have been many changes in Labour's attitude since my grandmother's day. We still firmly believe in community based politics, people before Party, a concept undoubtedly lost on you. We are fighting for what YOU promised - the retention of the paddling pool.

We have not misled the public about anything. We told them clearly that the Council could ignore the poll completely, we told them how much it would cost, we have been completely open. Have you bothered to attend the public meeting in the Muni where the public decided by 209 votes to 14 to hold a community poll then you would know this.

Cllr Powell was there of course - putting his view forward and answering questions from the public. Not one single Labour Councillor was there to put the Council's view. Instead you sent an Officer to face the music on your behalf - how cowardly a move was that? He wasn't at the Council meeting on 14th November, one of very few he misses. He is on holiday in Australia, a little far to travel back wouldn't you say? Of course you also missed the meeting last week, no doubt also with good reason. Not all of those who voted formed part of Cllr Powell's electorate - the poll covered nine wards. Where were the Labour Councillors for the other Pontypridd wards that they did not represent the opinions of their electorate?

The stench of hypocrisy really is overwhelming. There is no doubt in our minds that if you had the will then you could find the way to retain the paddling pool alongside the Lido. After all your fully costed manifesto said so.

Yours sincerely

Karen Roberts

Campaign Manager, RCT Welsh Liberal Democrats.

They see us as the shit on the bottom of their shoes and a big inconvienence