THERE is 'no turning back' on Herefordshire Council's commitment to build the new Leominster swimming pool council leader Roger Phillips said this week.

He said tenders go out on the multi-million pound project on Monday with the aim of getting work started at the Coningsby Road site in March or April.

Councillor Phillips said he wanted to reassure the public that the project was going ahead following a call by Hereford MP Paul Keetch for the Leominster pool to be "sacrificed."

Mr Keetch said the money should be switched to the Rotherwas access road.

His comments - in the midst of the festive season - caused uproar in Leominster.

Mayor Janet Atkinson slammed the MP for his 'cheek' and said his suggestion was 'appalling'.

This week the county's most senior councillor, Leominster's Dick Burke, voiced concern that Mr Keetch's comments had left an aftermath of 'confusion'.

"Some people in Leominster are under the impression that the pool project is under threat and could be cancelled, " said Councillor Burke.

Roger Phillips moved to settle public doubts. "There is no going back," he told the Hereford Times. "The timescale for building the pool has been agreed and it is going ahead.

"I would not want to be the person who has to explain to a parent that their child has drowned while swimming in the river."

Mr Phillips said he was disappointed over Mr Keetch's intervention which had been unhelpful. "His comments were unfortunate - they have unnecessarily stirred up public fears and concern over the pool."

The need for one important project should not override another, said Councillor Phillips. "Both the Rotherwas road and the Leominster pool are priorities for Herefordshire Council and we are working for both," he said.

The council's estimated pool timetable is:

January 12, 2004, out to tender

February 9, 2004 - return of tenders

Early March 2004 - award of contract

Work expected to start on site March/April

Estimated completion is July 2005.

The completion date is said to be a cautious estimate that would allow for weather setbacks. The project could be finished earlier.