CAMPAIGNERS against the redevelopment of York's Barbican Centre were challenged today to say how they would fund essential swimming pool repairs across the city.

Councillor Keith Orrell, executive member for leisure at City of York Council, claimed Save Our Barbican (SOB) protesters had an obligation to demonstrate how they would find nearly £10 million to pay for the modernisation of Yearsley, Edmund Wilson and Barbican Baths.

There were continual minor problems and occasional major incidents at the pools, including bolts falling from the Yearsley roof and tiles falling into the Barbican pool.

Without modernisation, they would continue their decline and eventually have to close.

Mr Orrell said: "A responsible action group would address this issue."

He said the campaigners should come up with specific proposals to provide money in the near future without putting up council tax - which would not be allowed by the Government.

"A genuine alternative scheme would also identify a site for the 240 homes in the Barbican redevelopment and the four-star hotel (the much needed first four-star hotel in York) and better conferencing facilities with the extra jobs this will provide.

"At the end of the day, I wonder what Save Our Barbican campaigners are saving the Barbican from - modernisation and development. If that is their aim, the city will be stuck with existing facilities for a long time."

But SOB chairman John Issitt branded the challenge a "red herring", designed to put the people of York off the track off the real issues.

It was intended to cover up an "unacceptable breach of trust" by the council in issuing redundancy notices and announcing the centre's closure in May, without figuring on the possibility of a public inquiry that might take three years to complete, he said.

"Coun Orrell and his officers have been caught 'with their trousers down' and are backpedalling as fast as they can," he claimed.

"If Coun Orrell is suggesting a genuine consultation process over the sporting and leisure facilities available to the people of York, I will be one of the first to offer practical suggestions to help the councillor do his job. However, whilst he is holding a gun to our heads by scheduling closure before planning is awarded, such discussion is simply pointless."

He urged the councillor to stop "playing politics with people's lives and resources", and at the very least keep all the facilities open until the planning process had finished.

Updated: 11:06 Tuesday, March 23, 2004