We are lucky in the Oxford city area to have so many pools.

But the Temple Cowley Pool has been starved of normal maintenance funding for a number of years on the premise that it is ‘beyond its sell by date’ and further neglect won’t help anyone, except release funds to support the white elephant proposed for Blackbird Leys.

On the other hand, if normal maintenance is resumed it will attract greater usage.

There is no guarantee that because the Blackbird Leys site is in the middle of a larger population there will be any increase in usage. While the swimming club would naturally prefer a new pool, will they still support it when the new Didcot 50-metre pool comes into operation? Would you prefer to use two buses, simply to reach a new pool with only very limited improvements and no likelihood of any diving facility?

Everyone from Headington, Littlemore, parts of Cowley and certainly for those outside the city in Watlington, Garsington, and Abingdon areas, have direct access on one bus. Schools in Cowley use the facility by walking and double up their visits by calling into the library – exercise and education at the same time. Cowley is the central hub of the southern area of the city and the existing facility should be reconsidered for total updating as the main swimming facility for the area.

It would be a surprise to hear some support for the scheme from local councillors instead of simply following the party line.

Not nostalgic nonsense but common sense.

S COOK Liddell Road Cowley