I WISH to express my disappointment at the definite closure of the Temple Cowley Pool, despite there being a petition of several thousand people to keep it open. I remember learning to swim there more than 50 years ago.

The city council, however, favours building a new pool at Blackbird Leys, at a cost of more than £8m – money they have to borrow and repay over 25 years, at an estimated cost of £16m.

How can they justify this at a time when so many people in the public sector are losing their jobs due to cuts, and other services are being cut?

They intend to call it the Blackbird Leys Competition Pool. What’s that all about? Will it be for the exclusive use of Oxford Swimming Club?

I doubt if social swimmers and pensioners from Oxford and Cowley will travel out to Blackbird Leys.

One wonders whether there are people who have a personal interest in the building of this pool and wasting much of Oxford’s money.

YVONNE KING, Fernham, Faringdon