The leader of the council has issued a statement following Wednesday night’s disastrous fire in Aberavon. I note that the official web-site does not report the statement made by Cllr Mike James, the cabinet member for environment and leisure, made in the emotional morning-after, when he implied that there would be a like-for-like rebuild. Perhaps there have been second thoughts.

I honestly sympathise with the regular users of the pool or other facilities at the Lido who are going to have difficulty finding an adequate substitute. However, in these straitened times, it behoves the council to cast a cold eye on financing a replacement and on budgeting for its maintenance. If rebuilding is covered by insurance, all well and good, but the county borough’s council tax payers cannot afford grandiose plans which go beyond that.

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