ANGLESEY’s under-threat swimming pools are safe after a council U-turn, as the authority outlined its plans to save £10 million in the next three years.
An Anglesey Council’s executive committee meeting on Tuesday heard that Llangefni, Amlwch and Holyhead pools, along with Beaumaris leisure centre, would remain open, as they discussed the council’s annual draft budget.
Council leader Councillor Clive McGregor said the council’s leisure department exceeded its £300,000 savings target by reducing opening hours and cutting five senior management posts.
He added: “However, it is quite possible that if the situation changes, we will have to look at all council departments, including leisure.”
Mr McGregor added that a “media hornet’s nest” created the dicsussion which led to the rethink on council pools.
Beaumaris Leisure Centre’s opening hours will go from 68 to 40 hours per week, with a maximum of two staff on duty.
The council decided to rethink the executives proposals to close the facilities proposals last year after a huge public outcry.
Amlwch Swimming Club chairman Richard Blaydon, who had campaigned to keep the pools open, welcomed the news.
He said: “We know in these trying times that we have to look at every expenditure in the public purse, but we as a club are very happy.
The main thing now is to get people using the pools and to promote them so that we get to this situation again.”
The leisure department will report to the executive on Tuesday.
Rhosneigr, Cemaes, Moelfre and Newborough libraries have also been granted a reprieve after the council reported that it was unable to find alternative services.
Meanwhile, 18 teaching jobs are set to go as the council faces an expected £600,000 cut in Welsh Assembly schools funding and falling pupil numbers.
Executive members also criticised school governors for not co-operating with the council to relocate teachers after they left authority control in 1995.
Cllr McGregor said: “There is a duty as councillors to put the message across that some of the problems they are facing are in their hands.”
The executive decided to discuss sharing splitting redundancy costs between the schools budget and the council’s central funds.
A final budget proposal will go to a council workshop on February 23.