RESIDENTS have told Wycombe District Council they want a swimming pool and cafe at the derelict Holywell Mead swimming pool site – in a report released by the council.

The 68-page report details the findings of a six week public consultation, carried out between December and January, into the future of the disused Holywell Mead pool.

WDC closed The Rye-based outdoor pool last year as part of a money saving exercise. The council also withdrew funding from the adjoining-Environment Centre, which closed last month.

Almost 2000 residents responded to the survey, with a 'mixture of facilities' on the site, including a café, gym and an 'outdoor water play area' the most popular answers.

But 20 per cent of all those quizzed wrote in the top preferences section of the form that they would like an 'undefined swimming pool' at The Rye.

Residents hit out at the council at a public meeting in January after it choose not to make an outdoor swimming pool an option on the multiple choice section of the paper.

They said the questionnaire was “deliberately weighted” in favour of other options, but this was rejected by the council.

But in the report, the council says the quiz's results should be “treated with some caution” over fears the consultation had been hijacked by Holywell Mead Pool Group campaigners.

The report also states that “it does not appear” non-users of the former pool would use the facility if it was re-opened and the facility would “attract no greater numbers”.

The report states: “These results need to be treated with some caution as many responses were identical to a large number of other survey forms.

“A response that occurred on batches of forms submitted was worded exactly as follows 'retain the main swimming pool and all its current facilities'.

“This phrase was used on a leaflet distributed by the Holywell Mead Pool Group.

“It appears the group have successfully motivated supporters to respond to the consultation to reinstate the past provision.”

But Cllr Steve Guy, Liberal Democrat parliamentary candidate for Wycombe, said the council's findings were “worded to fit its own agenda”.

He has now called on the council to “finally listen to what people want, which is an outdoor pool at Holywell Mead”.

Click on the link below to read the full council report. Leave your comments below.