During a recent fundraising event run by Save Saltdean Lido, hundreds of residents enjoyed themselves on Saltdean Vale, while Saltdean Lido, next door, stood empty.

And this was on one of the hottest days of the year.

The Save Saltdean Lido Campaign is one of our most dynamic community groups.

It was very successful in publicising the problems that befell the lido over the past few years and at the same time worked on ways to transform the management of what should be one of the most important leisure facilities in Brighton and Hove.

You would think Brighton and Hove City Council would be overjoyed to work with such a successful group, but sadly it has had to be almost forced to take action by the campaign, despite the problems at this lido having existed for many years.

It’s good that, at last, the lease is reverting back to the council (The Argus, May 31), but it should never have taken so long.

Rebecca Crook, chair of the campaign, compared the council’s offer of £14 million to the developers of the i360 with the Scrooge-like attitude of supporting the listed Saltdean Lido (Letters, May 15).

The main priority for the council should be ensuring the city’s existing leisure facilities are well-managed and provide a high-quality service to residents and visitors – and ensure swimming pools do not remain closed on hot sunny days.

But it seems its priority is acting as a financial backer to a speculative development.

Keeping swimming pools open seems a much better use for the council’s money in such harsh economic times.

Malcolm Dawes, chairman of the Brighton Society

Congratulations to the council on taking back control of Saltdean Lido.

However, it is doubtful if £200,000 is anywhere near enough money to bring this lido back up to scratch, let alone modernise and improve the facilities as drawn up in a scheme prepared by the architects involved.

It should not take long for council officers to draw up their report, since a detailed business plan already exists thanks to the organisation of local residents who were behind the decision to take back this public asset.

Barry Wilson, Saltdean

Saltdean had plenty of reasons to cheer over the Bank Holiday weekend. Not only was it the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, but we finally saw ownership of the lido site revert back to the community.

After a vigorous campaign by local people, the leaseholder has relinquished control.

The council will now have responsibility once again for the whole site.

Residents have been concerned for years with the operation of the building.

Thanks are therefore due to the council officers, councillors, the Save Saltdean Lido Campaign and the Saltdean Community Association for all their efforts.

This saves the site from any sort of residential development.

The real work now begins to get the site up to the standard the whole city deserves.

Let’s hope the council forges ahead with proposals to keep the pool open.

Laurence O’Connor, chair, Saltdean Residents, Association

May I congratulate the members of the Save Saltdean Lido campaign.

It would appear they have now successfully caused the current gym facilities and swimming pool to be closed by the council with immediate effect.

Some 130 current gym members have now been deprived of using good local facilities.

The pool had recently been cleaned in readiness for opening to the public, but clearly will not be opening in the foreseeable future now.

I’m under the impression the council gave an ultimatum to the current leaseholder that either he make some £500,000 of repairs to this listed building or that he forfeit the lease.

It would probably have been more useful for all concerned had they made some sort of grant available.

I assume Saltdean Lido will be closed over the summer months – this will be a great loss to local people.

Paul Bailey, Longhill Road, Ovingdean