An expert sports commentator has blasted Barnet Council’s decision over diving facilities in North London as “disgraceful”.

Last night (December 13) the council voted 32 to 29 in favour of pushing forward with plans to replace Copthall leisure centre with two new centres which would not include diving facilities.

The decision was witnessed by a crowded public gallery of pro-diving campaigners at Hendon town hall in the Burroughs, among them the BBC’s diving commentator Bob Ballard.

READ MORE: Barnet Council votes against Save Barnet Diving at Hendon Town Hall meeting

Mr Ballard had become aware of the Save Barnet Diving campaign over Twitter as their petition was gathering its 9,000 signatures and joined actress Joanna Lumley and Olympic diver Tom Daley in pledging his support.

The plans were approved by the council with an amendment from leader Richard Cornelius setting aside £500,000 as a starter fund to build a specialised diving centre on council land.

Children who use Copthall’s diving facilities were “devastated” by the council’s decision, many of them led out of the council chamber by parents in tears.

Mr Ballard said: “I am absolutely dumbfounded by the council’s decision, given the population size of Barnet and North London as a whole – there is a clear demand to provide diving here.

READ MORE: Olympic diver Tom Daley supports Save Barnet Diving campaign to get Barnet Council to keep diving at Copthall Leisure Centre

“The campaigners have done a fantastic job and, while the council may well ignore faces from the media like me, it is the real people on the ground who are calling for diving to be saved.

“It is clear from the council’s offer the money is there to create a facility with diving alongside the other aquatic sports.”

Cllr Cornelius suggested after the meeting the new diving centre could be situated on council land close to Copthall or included in the Hendon leisure centre as Brent Cross is redeveloped.

Despite this he was adamant diving would not be merged with the two new centres the council is spending £30 million to build replacing the Copthall centre.

READ MORE: Copthall leisure centre campaign to Save Barnet Diving gets support from Absolutely Fabulous star Joanna Lumley

He said: “Unfortunately all our ducks are in a row to build new centres which will actually increase the capacity for swimming in Barnet – we cannot take them out of order now.

“The plans are in motion and to halt them would was time, money and resources the council and the borough’s aspiring swimming stars cannot afford to waste.”

Cllr Cornelius suggested the rest of the money for the specialised diving centre could come from public donations and the Mayor of London Sadiq Khan.

London Assembly member for Barnet Andrew Dismore attacked this suggestion as “a crude Party Political attempt to divert attention from the Conservatives’ failure to respond to the public’s concerns rather than a genuine attempt to find a solution.”

READ MORE: Petition to save Barnet Copthall diving facilities 'will be considered' as plans for centre's demolition continue to move forward

In a letter to Cllr Cornelius, Mr Dismore wrote: “I understand you have not had any discussion with the Mayor or his office whatsoever so far about this, presumably because you full well know such funding would be outside his powers.

“The only such capital spending permitted in the past was on the 2012 Olympics, for which special legislation was required.”

Conservative councillors urged the Labour group to liaise with Mr Khan and Mr Dismore about getting funds for the centre from the regional London government.