An Angus SNP councillor has hit back at claims his party had been embarrassed by the fact its own public health minister welcomed plans for a £9 million swimming pool complex in Montrose.
Sandy West said the claims from Angus Alliance councillor Mark Salmond that SNP representatives in the area had been entirely opposed to the project at Montrose Sports Centre were inaccurate.
Following a ground-breaking ceremony last week public health minister Shona Robison said she fully supported the development, which will see a new swimming pool and integrated sports centre added to the existing building.
Mr West said he had supported alternative plans for a standalone pool to incorporate Montrose Diving Club, which will now have no training option in the town.
He insisted there was no embarrassment to his party and he still believed Montrose would suffer “a loss of facility” as a result of the project being a combined site.
He also claimed that Mr Salmond had attended a public meeting where the prospect of diving facilities at the new pool had been discussed.
“People were giving the council officer a lot of flak for the fact that there would not be diving facilities but Councillor Salmond just sat at the back and said nothing. Why raise it now when he wouldn’t speak up at the time?”
Photo courtesy of Stewart Lloyd-Jones.