DROITWICH Spa Town Council has accused Wychavon of bad management over the Lido affair.

Councillors claimed that if the district council had refurbished the pool some years ago, when the costs would have been much lower, the Lido would not be facing demolition today.

They also accused the council of failing to work in partnership and provide adequate advice to SALT.

"The whole matter has been badly managed by Wychavon District Council," said Coun Ann Taft.

And Coun Roy Seabourne likened the situation to the railways during Margaret Thatcher's term of office as Prime Minister.

"She ran the railways down and down and then flogged them and that's what's happened here," he said. "But there is no way that anyone will buy the Lido now."

He said the demise of the Lido was the "biggest piece of vandalism the town had ever seen".

Coun Seabourne told councillors that a year ago Wychavon council officers told him it would cost £100,000 to reopen the derelict pool at that time.

The cost has now risen to between £500,000 and £1m.

"I went to a meeting with the chief executive and he tells me that we should put plenty of money into the Lido's replacement because that is what people would expect," said Coun Seabourne.

"Well, I will be monitoring just how much Wychavon is going to spend filling in the pool and planting trees. Because if they spend £125,000 on the refurbishment that money could have been spent reopening the Lido."

Councillors said they were angry that Wychavon had failed to work in partnership with SALT and the town council, claiming its mind was made up from the start.

"The advice given to SALT by Wychavon District Council has been confrontational," said Councillor Seabourne.

"They do not know how to work in partnership."