11 February 2023

A last-minute, surprise proposal by the Lib Dem Council to slash funding to the popular Abbey View athletics centre has been stopped thanks to Cllr Simon Grover and centre users.

Dozens of angry athletes attended a tense Council committee meeting about the cuts, applauding Simon’s forceful speech in which he told the committee to “do your job and kick out this proposal”. Lib Dem councillors initially rejected appeals from Simon and residents, but as protest continued they reversed the cut, meaning Abbey View is safe for this year at least.

Simon commented: “This Lib Dem proposal was not properly thought through, completely unnecessary and announced with no notice. Unfortunately that’s what you get when a single party dominates a Council, and we’re seeing it more and more in St Albans.”