A full asset register of all States-owned capital projects is being created in Alderney.

Those assets will each be assessed with condition reports produced, and recommendations given for their continued use or otherwise.

A spokesperson for Alderney’s General Services Committee explained the plan for Express in response to questions about an open tender for the island’s swimming pool.

The tender has asked for responses by 22 August for the Alderney Community Swimming Pool site and structure.

The GSC said this work is to assess the “physical state” of the current pool so a decision can be made on spending money to finish building it and open it for public use.

Pictured: Construction of a 25 metre pool and gym at St Anne’s School was beset by difficulties after work began in 2014, before the plug was pulled in 2017.

“The General Services Committee is implementing a professional, structured approach to all States-owned capital projects,” said the spokesperson.

“This includes the creation of a full asset register and condition reports for each asset, along with recommendations on their continued use, disposal, maintenance, or reallocation. This process will form part of our wider strategy to make informed, cost-effective decisions on the best and future use of our public assets.”

Alderney’s only public swimming pool, which was at St Anne’s school, was closed prior to building work starting on a replacement in 2014.

However, problems with the pool building’s foundations, leadership, revision of business plans and the project finally running out of funds in 2017, put a stop to the building work.

There’s been no public swimming pool in Alderney for more than a decade now, since the original ‘learner’s pool’ was closed to make way for a larger asset. This has left St Anne’s school children learning to swim in the sea while a partially built 25m pool remains within the school ground’s.

The spokesperson for the GSC said Alderney’s swimming pool is one of the assets that is being assessed for the capital projects register – which is why the States have gone to tender to find a company suitably qualified to advise them on next steps.

“Before any decision can be made on the school pool, we must first establish the current state of the physical asset,” the spokesperson explained.

Pictured: Alderney’s children all have to learn to swim in the sea, most often at Braye Beach, because the island’s public swimming pool was never built.

“This will involve engaging a suitably qualified quantity surveyor or building surveyor to carry out a detailed condition assessment. A scope of works and associated costings will then be produced, giving us a clear and factual basis for decision-making.”

The GSC spokesperson gave a positive impression that building a new 25m public swimming pool remains on the States of Alderney’s ‘to-do list’ – but whether it is built at the school or elsewhere has yet to be decided.

“Through the current Expression of Interest process, we aim to appoint a provider to undertake this assessment. The findings will inform whether it is viable to continue the project on the existing site, or whether alternative uses for the building should be considered alongside the potential development of a new pool and leisure facility elsewhere.

“This approach ensures that any decision on the school pool is grounded in professional assessment, value for money, and long-term benefit to the community.”