The Stray Ferret can reveal that Ripon’s new swimming pool and leisure centre has racked up another £1 million in cost.
According to a freedom of information request obtained by Ripon resident and chartered civil engineer Stanley Mackintosh, the council agreed a budget of £14.5 million for the scheme back in September.
The Stray Ferret previously reported that the scheme was already £3.3 million over budget.
The new figure was revealed after Mr Mackintosh successfully appealed a decision by Harrogate Borough Council to refuse disclosing the information on commercial grounds.
Following an internal review, the council overturned its previous refusal and disclosed the total sum of its budget in September.
In its full FOI response to Mr Mackintosh HBC said that:
- Money already paid for construction and associated works is £12,936,235.55.
- A further £619,427.06, is allocated for payment.
- The total sum of the councils budget is £14,590,665.00.
This means that the authority’s budget is £4 million more than a previous contract agreed for construction.
The original 17-month contract signed with construction company and principal contractor Willmott Dixon was for £10.2 million, with a completion date of May this year.
However, the move was delayed and the pool is expected to open on December 8.
Read more:
- Sinkhole experts urge councillors to consider new site for Ripon pool
- Ripon’s delayed leisure scheme more than £3m over budget
- Conservative councillor says Ripon leisure scheme is poor use of public money
Mr Mackintosh told the Stray Ferret that he felt the site is unstable and that “things were bound to go wrong” with the site.
He said:
“I do not think it [the site] has long term stability. Nobody can know how long it will last.”
The morning, Conservative Cllr Nigel Simms said he stood by his view that the choice of Dallamires Lane for the new pool was a poor use of public money.
Cllr Simms told the Stray Ferret:
“Nothing has happened to change my mind, the geology of the site with its sinkhole issues, means it’s the wrong place.
“I’m all in favour of new leisure facilities for Ripon, but a more stable area should have been selected.”
Further concern of the pool site was raised earlier this month after a council-commissioned report by engineering company Stantec outlined measures to mitigate the effects of a void that was detected last year.
Dr Alan Thompson, a geologist and director of Cuesta Consulting in Somerset, called for the council to postpone a decision on the measures and give greater consideration to finding an alternative site.
However, senior councillors voted to press ahead with its plan to carry out further work while opening most of the site.
Harrogate Borough Council has voted to press ahead with plans to open a new leisure centre and pool in Ripon next month despite concerns about the long-term safety of the site.
A new council-commissioned report by engineering company Stantec outlines measures to mitigate the effects of a void that was detected last year.
The report says the measures should allow the pool and the first floor of the leisure centre to open safely on December 8 while the ground floor remains closed.
But it adds there is a “residual risk” of “catastrophic collapse” because of ongoing ground instability issues at the Dallamires Lane site since the original leisure centre was built in 1995.
This prompted Dr Alan Thompson, a geologist and director of Cuesta Consulting in Somerset, and Stanley Mackintosh, a chartered engineer in Ripon, to write to the council urging it to postpone a decision and give greater consideration to finding an alternative site.
But at last night’s cabinet meeting, councillors voted unanimously in support of a recommendation by Michael Constantine, the council’s head of operations, to carry out further work while opening most of the site.
Dr Thompson and Mr Mackintosh’s concerns were not mentioned.
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Mr Constantine said work would probably start in January and last nine months, during which time the ground floor of the leisure centre will be closed.
Michael Constantine at last night’s meeting
He said the council had been “assured by consultants” that this course of action was safe.
Councillor Stanley Lumley, the cabinet member for culture, tourism and sport, said:
“We have to follow the advice of the professionals. That’s why we pay them, why we employ them. We should surely act on that advice given.”
Council leader Richard Cooper added:
Sinkhole experts urge councillors to consider new site for Ripon pool“We are providing a state of the art swimming pool for the people of Ripon to replace a pool that could have collapsed at any time.”
Two sinkhole experts have urged councillors to consider finding an alternative site for the new Ripon leisure centre and pool — a month before it is due to open.
Their comments come after a newly released report by engineering company Stantec revealed the Dallamires Lane site could be permanently plagued by the threat of sinkholes.
Harrogate Borough Council commissioned the report after a void was discovered last year.
Michael Constantine, the council’s head of operations, has recommended councillors approve remedial work at a cabinet meeting tonight. But the experts have urged them to postpone a decision and take a longer-term view of the issues raised in the report.
Stanley Mackintosh, a chartered engineer in Ripon, said in a letter to the council that there was a “substantial risk of sudden catastrophic collapse” of land on the site due to the weak “pie-crust” nature of the land.
He told the Stray Ferret:
“The long term safety implications and unfathomable future costs seem to be very seriously underestimated by the council.”
Read more:
- Ripon Spa Baths closes after 116 years
- Ripon Leisure Centre: Harrogate council plans 3D soil map amid sinkhole fears
The Stantec report reveals there has been substantial and ongoing ground instability beneath the leisure centre building over three decades. It suggests the only way to avoid ongoing problems and costs is to find another site because the bedrock beneath the void is significantly disturbed and collapsed.
Mr Mackintosh, who has consistently raised concerns with the council about building a pool on land with a history of ground instability issues, said the report to councillors tonight contained “inaccuracies and omissions”.
He told the Stray Ferret:
“I am concerned that the new connecting walkway bridge may be a structural weak link, potentially unsafe for routine use by public and staff.
“As a chartered engineer, it remains my opinion that continuing to use the first floor of the existing leisure centre – and the said ‘weak link’ aerial walkway access to it– is an inadvisable and unnecessary risk to public safety.
“We should each, perhaps, honestly ask ourselves: “What kind of catastrophe at this Ripon Camp Close development, in part consequential to our own choices or inaction, could ever be justified?”
‘Gradual collapse’
Dr Alan Thompson, a geologist and director of director of Cuesta Consulting in Somerset, said he believed “gradual collapse” was a likelier scenario than sudden collapse.
But he agreed the council should give greater consideration to relocating to another site — an option councillors are recommended to reject tonight. Dr Thompson said:
“Given the huge and ever-increasing costs of the proposed works at Camp Close, the relative cost-benefits of relocation need to be seriously investigated as an alternative option, and not just dismissed out of hand, as the councillors are being asked to do.
“I do suspect that there will be ongoing ground instability at the Camp Close site and that, even with the proposed mitigation works, this risk will never be entirely eliminated. This is why the alternative option is so important.”
Stantec’s 277-page report says there is a “residual risk” of “catastrophic ground collapse” at the site, where a six-lane pool is due to open on December 8.
The top floor of the adjoining leisure centre is also due to open but the ground floor will remain shut while the remedial work is carried out.
Construction firm Willmott Dixon was awarded a £10.2 million contract in 2019 to build the pool and refurbish the leisure centre. It is not known how much the costs have risen to.
Mr Constantine’s report to councillors tonight says:
“The consulting engineer has stated that in their professional opinion a do nothing approach is unacceptable from a public safety perspective.
“By undertaking the works, which may also include installing post works monitoring equipment, the council will ensure that it has put in to place adequate mitigation to address the risks highlighted within the Stantec report.
“It is noted that the consulting engineer has highlighted that pile or pile group failure itself is unlikely to be catastrophic and would most likely be observed as a gradual settlement, structural cracking, and distortion of the structure.”
Harrogate Borough Council officials have said the new Ripon swimming pool will be safe to open despite news this week that further ground investigations are necessary.
The six-lane pool on Dallamires Lane is due to open on December 8. The adjoining leisure centre is due to partially open on the same date.
The council issued a statement this week saying it planned to carry out “ground remedial works and a thorough investigation programme” of the leisure centre site, which could result in further remedial work and a six-month closure.
It follows the discovery of a void near the leisure centre last year, which prompted an investigation at an estimated cost of £110,000.
The Stray Ferret asked the authority whether it remained confident the pool was safe to open next month despite the need for further work, which will include commissioning a 3D map of underground soil conditions
A spokesperson said the sites were “two separate foundations” and that the swimming pool was safe to use.
Safety concerns
As reported by the Stray Ferret, Ripon-based chartered engineer Stanley Mackintosh has consistently raised concerns with the council about the suitability of building a swimming pool on land with a history of ground instability issues.
Mr Mackintosh told the Stray Ferret that public safety at the site had “to be the overriding consideration” and that he would be writing to senior Harrogate councillors ahead of their decision on further investigative works on Wednesday.
Dr Alan Thompson, a geologist and director of director of Cuesta Consulting in Somerset, has also previously raised safety concerns following an investigation by consultancy firm Stantec into the “cavity” that appeared at the site in September last year.
News of the latest investigation raises questions over whether the ground instability problems can be permanently solved and how much it will cost taxpayers to fund any further remedial works that may be required.
The city’s leisure centre will only be partially open when the new swimming pool comes on stream in five weeks time.
The ground floor is to remain closed, while the first floor gym will open.
Read more:
- Ripon Leisure Centre: Harrogate council plans 3D soil map amid sinkhole fears
- Ripon leisure centre won’t fully open with new pool
Council officials said in a report that the leisure centre could continue to operate half open while investigations at the site are carried out, possibly in the New Year.
It said:
“In August 2021, an officer decision was made, following advice from the consulting engineers that Ripon Leisure Centre could continue to operate on the reconfigured and refurbished first floor.
“The consulting engineers informed officers that they did not believe that there had been a geological change to the risk profile of the building since the initial void at the right hand side by the entrance was discovered in 2020.”
However, the site will close for six months if further further work is required. The report added that the investigation would not affect the swimming pool.
Void discovered
When asked why the first floor of the leisure site was to remain open instead of closing the entire building during the investigations, a council spokesperson said “the consulting engineers have advised the existing leisure centre can remain open”.
The void is understood to have been beneath the older half of the centre for several years and was discovered near where a sinkhole opened up in 2018. Ripon is notorious for sinkholes.
The initial investigations covered around 15% of the building’s footprint and if approved by senior councillors next week, the remainder will be surveyed.
It is likely this will lead to the need for ground strengthening works, similar to what was done to stabilise the ground beneath the new swimming pool.
During this time, the council said it would look to provide gym facilities at a different venue in the city which is one of the UK’s most sinkhole-prone areas.
‘Public needs to know’ Ripon pool opening date, says councillorA Ripon councillor has called for greater clarity over the opening date of the city’s delayed new swimming pool.
Cllr Pauline McHardy said “the public need to know” when the centre will be opened after she sought clarification from senior councillors this week.
The project, which the Stray Ferret revealed last week is more than £3 million over budget, was due to open in November.
But, Harrogate Borough Council said in an update last month that it would now be opened “before the end of the year”.
At a meeting of the council, Cllr Stan Lumley, cabinet member for leisure, told councillors that there were “lots of unknowns” with the project..
Cllr Stan Lumley, cabinet member for leisure at Harrogate Borough Council.
When asked by Cllr McHardy if the centre would open in November, he said:
“I would very much hope it will be open in November, but there are lots of unknowns.
“Until we occupy the new space and we have staff using the new facility, there will clearly be, as with any building project, there is likely to be teething troubles that need to be ironed out and a snag list to be addressed.
“I very much hope it will be November, but certainly by the end of the year.”
Read more:
- Ripon’s delayed leisure scheme more than £3m over budget
- New Ripon pool may not be ready to open in November
Speaking to the Stray Ferret, Cllr McHardy said she felt the answer was not sufficient.
She said:
“I would have preferred him to say ‘no’. The public need to know [about the opening].
“I do understand that when it has been commissioned there are sometimes teething problems.
“But surely that is built into their estimations?”
Construction of the facility is being carried out by Willmott Dixon, which was granted a £10.2 million contract by the council. Work started on the scheme in November 2019.
The 17-month contact was for delivery of a six-lane pool, along with refurbishment of the existing Ripon Leisure Centre.
New Ripon pool may not be ready to open in NovemberRipon’s new multi-million pound leisure development may not be ready to open in November, as previously indicated.
The scheme, for which known costs were in excess of £10.2 million before a six-month delay was announced last year, was originally scheduled to open this summer.
Last autumn, a press release by Harrogate Borough Council said the development at Camp Close, off Dallamires Lane, would open in November.
But in an update issued by the council a spokesperson, said:
“We can confirm the new swimming pool in Ripon is due to open towards the end of the year.
“An official opening date will be confirmed in the coming weeks once the facility has been handed-over by Willmott Dixon, our appointed contractor carrying out the works.”
An ‘opening in summer 2021’ sign was later replaced by one saying ‘opening in autumn 2021’.
The statement, added:
“Following this handover, we will carry out the necessary staff training and rigorous testing to prepare the new facility for opening.
“The addition of the new swimming pool is a major development for Ripon and the surrounding area and we’re delighted to announce that it will be officially opened later this autumn.”
£10.2m contract
A £10.2 million contract was awarded to Willmott Dixon before work started on site in November 2019.
The 17-month contact was for delivery of a six-lane pool, along with refurbishment of the existing Ripon Leisure Centre.
This specified a completion date of 21 May this year, but this was later amended to November.
Councillor Stanley Lumley, the council’s cabinet member for culture, tourism and sport said, at the time, that the project had been ‘slightly delayed’ by covid.
In the release dated 13 November, he added:
“Ground work, known as grouting, is nearing completion.”
Ground stability issues
Cllr Lumley’s statement came two months after a ‘void’ was discovered near the entrance to the existing leisure centre building, which was constructed in the mid 1990s.
A previous sinkhole that opened up in February 2018 caused the closure of the leisure centre car park and despite concerns raised about the suitability of the Camp Close site for addition of a swimming pool, the scheme was granted approval at a council planning meeting in June 2019.
Following discovery of the second ‘void’ Stantec, an international engineering, design and consultancy practice, carried out an initial inspection and in a report, seen by the Stray Ferret, raised concerns about the load-bearing capacity of existing piles under the leisure centre, which would have been used to support the connection between it and the new pool.
Read more:
- Additional Ripon swimming pool cost ‘confidential’
- Final cost of Ripon leisure development ‘not yet known’
What will the final cost be?
The Stray Ferret has submitted two Freedom of Information requests to the council in an attempt to establish what additional costs have been incurred, on top of the original £10.2 million contract for the scheme.
In its response to the first request, the council said that the information it held was ‘confidential’. In its response to the second request, it said ‘the final costs are not yet known.’
‘Council now talking to us’ says unionDiscussions have been held between the council and trade unions over plans to transfer sport and leisure services to a private company.
Unison has this morning confirmed that it has met with Harrogate Borough Council representatives to discuss the proposal to form a Local Authority Controlled Company (LACC) to run its leisure facilities.
Unison branch secretary David Houlgate said:
“We are thankful that the Council is now talking to us and the meeting yesterday was helpful. We are also pleased that the Council has let us have some written detail too. We need to take a good look at that but already we can make the following observations:
“Clearly the council has ambitious plans for new and upgraded facilities and we cautiously welcome this but it has to be remembered that sport and leisure is a discretionary service so we would not wish to see high spending in this area impact on other, more critical, services elsewhere which could put jobs at risk.”
As well as the council’s six six leisure centres and its Active Health service, the plans could include transferring Little Explorers Day Nursery, the Turkish Baths, and community centres in Jennyfield, Fairfax and Knaresborough to the LACC.
According to a report set to be considered by HBC’s cabinet next week, transferring services stands to save £222,000 in business rates and £76,000 in VAT, with improved financial performance of £130,000 per year. There would be additional costs of £144,000, leaving savings of £284,000 per year, in the council’s figures.
The council has projected an increase in revenue of around £500,000 – equivalent to 10 percent of its current income – as a result of being run by a single-focus company.
The report also states that the council commissioned four studies into its leisure services in and alternative ways of delivering them, in 2018. It adds:
“SLL’s final report was presented to Cabinet on December 16, 2019 and as a result cabinet agreed in principle to progress the creation of a Company to run its sport and leisure facilities and services.”
Discussions between HBC and unions this week follow a public disagreement between them. Unison said on Monday it was disappointed that the council had failed to make any contact with its members – a claim which HBC branded “ridiculous”.
- Unions speak out about the lack of communication on plans which have “no overwhelming public support”
- HBC tells unions: “To expect a running commentary… is unrealistic”
The council consulted with residents last month about the proposals. In the report to cabinet, the results show 46 percent of the 433 people who responded either disagreed or strongly disagreed with the plans. Twenty-seven percent agreed or strongly agreed, while 27 percent neither agreed nor disagreed.
“We have seen the council report and it would appear that this decision was actually taken last year, so we do wonder what the point of the recent resident’s survey was. Having now seen the survey responses it does seem to confirm our view that there is not much support from the 433 residents who responded, for sport and leisure to be run by a LACC.”
The union has welcomed measures to protect employees, including keeping them in the local government pension scheme. However, it raised concerns about changing terms and conditions after the LACC is formed, and the possibility that an outside provider will be found to run services in future.
The proposals to create the LACC will be put before the council’s cabinet when it meets online next Wednesday, June 17.