COUNCILLORS have voted to defer a report into whether a water park in Cae Glas Park would be progressed following an intervention from a former mayor.

Councillor Duncan Kerr called for the report to be delayed after former Oswestry councillor Martin Bennett spoke at the public session of the Amenities committee at the Guildhall on Wednesday.

According to a report submitted to the council by town clerk Arren Roberts, the splash park would be used financed by money taken from the windfall following the sale of the Smithfield Market in Shrewsbury Road.

Mr Bennett asked the council to reconsider the use of money –around £380,000 – from the windfall, which he believed should be spent on capital projects.

Cllr Kerr said: "While we’re not bound, we must be mindful and I suggest we move to ask the clerk to read any relevant documents around the windfall."

Cllr Mike Isherwood backed Cllr Kerr's call for a decision into the report to be deferred.

He said: "We need to be sure that what we’re doing is right and proper, and it needs to be investigated before we go any further."

Cllr Paul Milner added: "It’s a lot of money we’re spending so we need to be careful."

In Mr Roberts's report, he set out the background to the park, with a motion passed to set up a feasibility study in January this year, and a seminar last month.

The feasibility study cost the council £3,000 which was carried out by Ray Parry Playgrounds, which was presented to members on May 4.

Two options for the splash pads's location were presented to councillors during the seminar – the current play area or the bowling green with a massive capacity of 120 and fenced away from the playground.

A £100,000 spend would be added to incorporate it into the park and operational costs would be £18-20,000 including maintenance and energy costs.

The facility would be open from May until September, and it was decided that option one – the play area – would be used and then a six-week process would follow the expression of interest, then taken to the Cae Glas Management Group before an decision will be made.

However, the process that will now be delayed until a later date while the legality of using the Smithfield Market windfall is confirmed.