Full Council Update: North Lynn Borough Councillor Austen Moore

Full Council

I was also invited to join a working group that was overseeing the relocation of St James Pool to Lynnsport and a full development of Lynnsport. After attending a couple of meetings it became apparent that no one on the working group had any experience in this kind of development. I have been involved in the industry of Health Wellness and Fitness for about 25 years. The consultants were saying things that were not being challenged and the development would not have been positive for Lynnsport and the community as it would have reduced the existing square foot of many parts of the existing facility. There was also a lack of engagement with many stakeholders that excluded people who could have provided vital guidance on this from the outset and would be directly affected.

I presented the following motion to Full Council on January the 29th.

Motion: Review of Consultant Expenditure Relating to the Lynnsport Proposal

This Council notes the work undertaken in relation to the proposed redevelopment of the Alive Leisure Lynnsport facility, including plans to relocate the St James Pool as part of a scheme reported to be in the region of £49 million.

This Council further notes that approximately £2 million of public funds were incurred through the use of external consultants in developing this proposal, and that the scheme was later deemed unaffordable by the Section 151 Officer.

This Council is concerned that significant expenditure was incurred before affordability concerns resulted in the project being halted. This raises questions regarding financial oversight, governance, and value for money in the development of major capital projects.

Given the importance of protecting public funds and maintaining public confidence in the Council’s financial management, this matter warrants further scrutiny.

This Council resolves to:

1. Request that the Corporate Performance Panel reviews the decision making and governance processes relating to the use of external consultants in the development of the Lynnsport and St James Pool proposal.

2. Request that the Corporate Performance Panel considers whether appropriate affordability checks and financial controls were applied at an early stage.

3. Require that the findings and any recommendations are reported back to Full Council.

The leader of the Council Alistair Beales was more than happy to send this to the Corporate Performance Panel for scrutiny. The BBC also published an article on this on the 2nd February which you can read here - BBC Article

Final Message to all the residents of North Lynn

For all of the residents of North Lynn I'd like to say how proud I am to be your Reform Councillor and I thank all of you that voted for me and continue to support me. Despite the challenges, North Lynn has many strengths. It has such an amazing strong sense of community spirit and local pride. Over recent years, there’s been real collaborative effort through partnerships like RISE to improve safety, build resilience, and engage residents. I’ve heard from many locals that their neighbours and community groups are sources of great support, highlighting how people look out for one another.

I think that's probably enough for now. If you're a resident of North Lynn and you'd like to get in touch with me directly to discuss anything then please send an email to me on cllr.austen.moore@west-norfolk.gov.uk

Thanks very much for all your support.

Austen Moore North Lynn Borough Councillor