A pool in Halmstad cost twelve million to build, but has not been used once.
That makes it one of ten nominees for the year’s worst waste of taxpayers’ money.
– The politicians had been on an inspiration trip to Alicante when they got the idea, says waste ombudsman Philip Syrén.
There is one competition you absolutely do not want to win and it is the worst waste of tax money of the year. The competition is organized by the waste ombudsman who works for the taxpayers’ association and who in turn works for society to live with low taxes.
Every year, the Swedish people get to choose what they think is the worst waste of the year. I would really need a top-thousand list but have had to scale it down to ten contributions, says Philip Syrén, waste ombudsman at the Taxpayers’ Association.
Two contributions stand out
As a waste ombudsman, Philip works to review when tax money has gone to more or less crazy things. From this year’s list of waste, there is, among other things, a highly publicized tax-financed indoor pool that is worth highlighting.
It was after an inspirational trip to Alicante that some politicians in Halmstad got around to investing SEK 12 million in a pool at the new nursing home, says Philip Syrén.
The pool was supposed to be used as a rehab pool for the people at the residence, but there were never any swims. Not because there was anything wrong with the pool or the temperature of the water, it was rather that the patients at the accommodation were not in the condition of life when you take a dip.
The only problem was that this was a short-term accommodation where palliative care is mainly concerned. So the last care in life. Many patients could barely walk, let alone swim, says Philip Syrén.
The municipality admits the failure
The pool was inaugurated in the autumn of last year, but since then has remained completely untouched. Not once has the water surface worth twelve million kroner been rippled.
It was a failure that cost a lot of money. When we saw that there weren’t that many people who could use it, it was to benefit more residents in Halmstad municipality, so the pool has been transferred to another board, says Ewa Sjögren (M), chairman of the home care board in Halmstad.
The unused pool in Halmstad is one of ten examples of where taxpayers’ money has gone to questionable things that the waste ombudsman is now calling attention to.
Yesterday 18:41
The year’s worst tax waste: “Should have needed a top-thousand list”
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