Cuts of £3m agreed by Eastbourne councillors

Another round of cuts to public services will see closures of swimming pools and a 5% increase in parking charges in Eastbourne, East Sussex.

The Liberal Democrat-run borough council's cabinet agreed £3m in savings on Wednesday evening.

The authority has blamed the increasing cost of providing temporary accommodation to the homeless for its financial position.

The latest batch of savings will see two pools closed at the Sovereign Centre and the council pushing ahead with its plan to replace some public conveniences with a community toilet scheme, with pubs and restaurants allowing the public to use their facilities.

Council leader Stephen Holt told the meeting: "We always knew that this year was going to be challenging. We always knew this year was going to be difficult.

"We were always determined to find those savings to ensure we can provide financial stability for this authority."

During the meeting Mr Holt faced heckling, including a call for his resignation.

A public campaign has been running to keep all of Eastbourne's toilets open, while nearly 6,000 people have signed a petition opposing the closure of the diving and fun pools at the Sovereign Centre.

Paul Howard, who organised the campaign to save the pools, said: "The fun pool is where families routinely go with babies, toddlers and infants to build up confidence.

"It's the only pool in the town that's accessible to disabled people or people with learning difficulties."

Robert Smart, leader of the Conservative opposition group on Eastbourne Borough Council, told BBC Radio Sussex: "Eastbourne is a wonderful place but it's being ruined by an incompetent Lib Dem administration.

"They've quadrupled the debt since 2015 to £191m, costing us £7m a year.

"The important point we are trying to make is that the council should not be rushing to shut these things, either the toilets or the swimming pools, until satisfactory solutions have been raised.

"No long term planning, just sticking plaster solutions."

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