A CAMPAIGNER who has spent nearly two decades fighting for a York swimming pool has spoken of the tough negotiating in the last year.

Fiona Evans, part of the Yearsley Pool Action Group (YPAG), spoke this evening about the challenging year of negotiations they faced with Greenwich Leisure Limited (GLL) - the company lined up to take on Yearsley and all York’s council-owned facilities - once the new community stadium is built.

The action group turned down a “half closure” option which would have excluded many users, Mrs Evans said.

She was speaking at a City of York Council executive meeting, where ruling councillors agreed the plan for the pool and the way ahead for the stadium project.

During the negotiations they came to a compromise based on 91 hour a week opening, something which gives swimming clubs the flexibility they need, she added.

Mrs Evans said: “As with any compromise solution is isn’t perfect, but it safeguards over 90 per cent of the service whilst cutting costs to be affordable within the overall budget.”

A report prepared for the meeting also shows building cannot start on the Community Stadium until autumn this year, and it will not be ready until late 2018 or even early 2019 .

At the same meeting, councillors agreed to put £1.25 million into expanding Scarcroft Primary School to accommodate two form entry.

The money will be spent on internal alterations in the school building to create the extra classroom space, and on creating a small multi use games area (MUGA) on the Scarcroft site, and a larger MUGA at nearby Millthorpe school, while the school's use of Scarcroft Green will stay the same.

The plans got the backing of Scarcroft parent Jonny Crawshaw who said despite the "convoluted" path to get there, the current proposals are right for the area and will benefit the school by ending the need for more than one year group to be taught in each class, and by providing the new play space.

However, he said the Government's academies policy is undermining the council's ability to plan and provide the school places York needs.