AS the portfolio holder responsible for sport and recreation, I would like to respond to David Williams's letter (Your Letters, September 10) in relation to the Splash overspend.

There has never been any attempt on the part of MHDC to cover up or conceal the fact that there has indeed been an overspend on this project.

However, we are currently involved in delicate and commercially-sensitive negotiations with our partners in the Splash refurbishment project as to the individual liabilities of those concerned. While the process is ongoing, it would not be appropriate nor in the best interests of the Council Tax-payers of the district, to start throwing ball park figures about in the public domain.

I am sure David Williams would agree that the completed Splash upgrade has produced a facility that has on average a thousand customers a day, is shortlisted for a national award and is a facility of which we can all be justifiably proud.

I can also give him a pledge that, as an open and transparent authority in all our dealings with the public, we will reveal the final figure of the overspend at the earliest appropriate opportunity.

Clive Smith, Greenfields Road, Malvern.