I think we have to consider how things really work in local politics and how opposition has to be anticipated and tactics adopted accordingly. All politicians do it, some better than others, but from professional experience local politics and major capital spend decisions rarely follow a straight line. If Steve had immediately and openly supported the retention of DR I suspect his many political opponents would have capitalised on this, and have been accused of self serving actions
( after all he lives in FH and has done so for a long time) and he would probably not have got ( he still hasn't I know) the support from other Councillors of all parties needed to get things through, as money spent here may well be taken from other parts of the borough and other budgets. It is only a theory but I am beginning to see, if one adopts a Machievellian mindset, how this may have all been part of the Bigger Plan. The Consultation therefore may have enabled all of this to happen. If so, then its surely money well spent if its ratified the actions that many people seemed to want.

I agree that things should have been done a lot earlier, but the money had to come from somewhere, and a lot of resources were dedicated into keeping the increasingly dilapidated pool open in the absence of a capital funding pot. If he can pull it off on 17th, he'll have done well for Forest Hill.