The underhand way in which Castle Point Council decided to fill in the paddling pool on Canvey seafront without consulting residents, and taking the decision by cabinet which only came to light when picked up by the Canvey Independent Party, shows why Canvey should have its own council.

Fortunately, MP Bob Spink came to the support of the many residents who were incensed by the indifference paid by mainland councillors towards Canvey.

The public meeting at the Paddocks, and the seafront protest on Sunday, showed the little regard council officials have as they didn’t show up at either meeting.

Councillor Ray Howard turned up at the Paddocks, where he confirmed he voted in favour of the demolition, believing the questionable health and safety excuse, but promised he would take our concerns to the council. He didn’t turn up at the seafront protest.

Were our Conservative and Labour prospective parliamentary candidates supporting the residents?

No, they were conspicuous by their absence.

John T Pharro
Orrmo Road
Canvey

...Once again Canvey has been let down by the ruling party on the mainland.

At the scrutiny meeting at which the fate of the pool was decided, they proved their lack of knowledge of this facility and the surrounding area.

It was obvious from councillors’ remarks and the content of the report on the pool, that no account had been taken of how the pool was used and by how many children of varying ages.

This pool offers a safe area for children to paddle, play and use their rubber dinghies and canoes.

Reference was made to there now being two pools, with the so called “new”

pool by the beach cafe being an alternative, but this is generally used by younger children and would become overcrowded if used by the number normally on the beach.

Comparisons were made with Maldon’s pool, which was closed following a fatal accident, but the only similarity they have is being filled with sea water.

The report said the number of sea water pools in the country had greatly reduced in the last few years. Again, I fail to see the relevance, as each pool should be looked at individually.

The costs put forward of maintaining and running this pool are flawed, as they referred to staffing, which is not required, plus emptying the pool in winter on safety grounds and also to reduce the amount of debris.

All the emptying would achieve is flushing the sand base away, requiring replacement the following year, another unnecessary cost put forward to justify closure.

Alternative pools at the Paddocks and Waterside Farm are not at the seaside, so do not offer the same type of activity.

It was a pity there was not a more widespread consultation with seafront businesses on the financial implications of the closure.

Perhaps it is time to raise the drawbridge.

Rod Bishop
Cleveland Road
Canvey

...Pam Challis says the paddling pool is too expensive to maintain, but she can spend £20,000 on a bumblebee that looks more like a fly sitting on excrement The council spends £2.5million of taxpayers’ money on Waterside leisure centre and the Paddocks, and proposes to spend millions on enlarging the Knightswick Centre (which is privately owned) but can’t afford the small amount to maintain one of Canvey’s much-loved icons.

Everything the council wants to regenerate will cost residents money to use.

The beach is one of the few free things left on Canvey.

Liz Swann
Haven Road
Canvey