There is a sad inevitability to this.

I could probably have written this report myself two years ago (guessing at the numbers, but the conclusions are obvious). It fills me with powerless rage to even consider it, but that is what local politics is all about. Why we had to pay hundreds of thousands of pounds to prove things that were going to be obvious I don't know.

For example, they allow for around ?2.5m increase (from ?7.43m to ?9.7m) for "4 years worth of construction inflation" and the previous supplier's more aggressive pricing. If they had actually got on with it 4 years ago they could have fixed the price and that same increase could have covered any possible overspend (and not just go to "inflation") and we'd have the pools back earning their keep by now.

I hate to have to give in, but for heaven's sake would someone just pull their finger out and get on with the job!!