The swimmers of Lytham wish you well and rejoice in the fact that you have 12 months to get your house in order and have sensible councillors to help. Be an example to the dinderheads who are running or is it ruining the facility for us in Lytham and St Annes. Perhaps you should declare independance for Kirkham and Wesham. You couldn't do worse than the present mismansgers.

For people to bring politics into this debate and use this serious topic as a way to score political points, only undermines what the community and Councillors should be doing - working together.  Along with fellow Conservative members and Officers, I have personally spent many hours working with the various interest groups to find a long term solution for swimming provision in Fylde.  All these groups, including Kirkham Splash have agreed that the Council Tax payers of Fylde can no longer sustain the £950,000 per annum funding to run these facilities.  Rising energy and wage costs this year will just add to this burden.

These facilities need to become a commercially viable operation, run by the Private Sector, with only a very small subsidy from Council Tax payers.  This subsidy, whether it comes from District Council CT or Parish/Town Council precepts must be set sum which will not be increased.  Unless this happens, FBC and the Parishes will find themselves in exactly the same position as we have today.  These facilities must be funded by people using them.

Kirkham baths have been earmarked for closure from the end of March 2009, this extension has been given to try and re-inforce the Councils desire to retain swimming in the Borough and to also act as a rellying call to the residents of Rural Fylde to support the pool in significantly increased numbers so that the funding gap is minimal.  This gives Fylde Council the evidence that it needs to show that the community boths wants and supports it.  If residents don't rally to the cause and the Council continues to incur rising Service costs and increased reponsibilities from Government without sufficient funding then the baths will have to be closed. 

This was the same with St Annes pool, for two years we have been urging residents to take up swimming and to support the pool - sadly, this has not happened. 

I assure you that Conservative members were vehementley opposed to closing these facilities, they had no choice.  This decision however, has led to many other options, which were not put forward during our two year search for an alternative provider or partner.  I hope that the Council will be able to inform the Council of potential avenues in the next few weeks.

When I came onto Fylde Council in 1999 Fylde BC was constantly criticsed for not addressing the tough issues and for not having a vision for the Borough, it's services and their future.  Since 2003 we have been keen to hit the issue's head on and to more importantly, ensure that we direct our limited funds towards the issues that directly impact on the Quality of Life of the residents of Fylde, this we have done.

as you say Paul, I hope that residents will reflect on the Councils overall performance and the long term outcome of this particular issue when it comes to the next local elections.

Paul

Again thanks for your feedback.  As you will have seen the plans for the promenade in St Annes clearley show the Swimming Pool being retained.  That has always been our preffered plan, however, should we be unable to find an affordable option for the current site and if we are offered a significant amount of money for the site to go towards a new facility then surely we should give this support?

I fully appreciate that a number of people marched in support of the pool, however, a significant number did not march, or show their support by using the pool as urged, over the past two years.  As elected representatives we also have to pay attention to the lack of protest from the silent majority.  It is a difficult balance and in the Conservative members defence, an issue which everyone was aware needed to be addressed, but no one has had the political conviction to take on.  Since coming on to the Council in 1999 Councillors have been told that a tough decision has been required regarding the future of the pools.  When Conservative took control in 2003, after 12 years in opposition, we voiced our concerns publicly about the pools future and during the budget setting process in 2006 and 2007 clearly stated that the pools day's were numbered.  The Gazette ran a "Save our Pool campaign" in 2007 in Kirkham numbers crept up, in St Annes they did not.

In respect of the party whip.  You will notice that at every Council meeting Conservative vote together and Oppostion Coalition members Lib Dems, Independents and Ratepayers act as a collective as well.  The budget is one of the only times that members are asked to vote as a Group.  You may wish to call this a whipped vote.  The simple reason for this is, that the Council spends months preparing the budget, assesing risks and agreeing it's direction for the next financial year.  This is done alongside public and elected member involvement.  You are unable to decide an £11 million budget spend in one meeting.  So any budget is decided long before the final meeting of the Council to ratify it - all members know this. 

At the budget meeting itself, Opposition parties can put forward their alternative budget.  If the Council simply comprised of Conservative and Liberal Democrat Councillors there would be no surprise that there was alternative views and votes. What appears to be the problem in Fylde is that, some people think that Independent/Ratepayer Councillors are non-political, the evidence shows that this is not the case.  They have a Leader of the Opposition, Group leaders, meet as a single unit to discuss issues and agree a common approach and on the majority of occassions  vote against Conservative proposals or abstain. To me this should be seen as a whipped vote.

There has been a recorded vote for the budget.  The meeting was recorded and can be watched on the internet. 

I do not want to use this forum as an opportunity to score political points or to undermine to opposition parties, that is not what is has been set up for. However, Fylde residents need to understand just how important it is, in this day and age to have a plan.  The Council needs to constantly adjust what it does to meet changing demands, it has to decide today, what it wants to do tommorrow.  It then has to have the strength of it's convictions to know that this is the right way forward - even in the face of strong opposition.

I stand by this approach and hope that time will prove that this was the right stance to take.

I attended the meeting last night, as a member of Rural Splash action group.   I noted with interest the small numbers of Fylde Borough Councillors.  Simon Renwick Portfolio Holder for Leisure and Tourism, did in fairness attend the preliminary meeting, but left before the hall filled with the public.

There is a general reluctance on the part of FBC to engage with the voters.  OK they'll use this forum, but seem unable to look us in the eyes. 

I thought the public mood was positive towards the plans Rural Splash are advocating.  There is room for development and change, as time progresses.  I urge anyone who is interested to make comments and suggestions.  If this project goes ahead there will be more public consultation.

But key now is actually securing the future.  If March comes and the pool is closed then all the aspirations and wish lists of reseidents will amount to nothing.

Lobby your Fylde Borough Councillors.  Start with John Coombes Leader of the Council and write to Simon Renwick and stress what an important facility the pool is.  Also write to Michael Jack who is till our MP.    Even one letter is better than nothing. 

Please ask everyone you know to write a letter. 

There is a saying I think apt:   "it is better to light a candle than complain about the dark".

Last edited by coxy (08/10/08 05:44)

Reports of Kirkham Swimming Pool being “Saved” have been somewhat exaggerated.

The Charitable Foundation, Rural Splash has worked tirelessly to secure a happy fate for Kirkham Swimming Baths. They proposed to take over the running of the facility and improve it over the next decade.

The Plans that had been drawn up looked really exciting, the business plan sounded convincing if not fairly watertight. However, these ideas had to pass go at Council Level.
THE COUNCIL HAVE GIVEN RURAL SPLASH THE GO-AHEAD!
Great, fantastic, superb news……….. Really?

One thing the local rags have failed to report properly is that Rural Splashes Business plan hinged on whether FBC will subsidise the pool to the tune of  £120,000 in 2009 and continue subsidising it for the next 5 years.
HOW MUCH COULD THE COUNCIL AFFORD………£NOWT!
(Why, because year on year, the Central LABOUR Government cut funding for FBC)

So, is Kirkham Baths saved?....... ABSOLUTELY NOT! Nowhere near, nope ,not at all!

Rural Splash now have to find that £120,000 from somewhere, but where?

If  approx 95 fee paying adults walk through that door, every  day, over and above the current usage, they earn that £120,000.
If  they can get corporate sponsorship or a private company to supply that kind of funding, then the Baths are saved.

The Council can’t afford to run the Baths as it stands. It is making serious losses, year on year. What Private company would take on a business like that? So it is unlikely any private funding would be forthcoming. The only option would be to encourage more usage of the facility. If each of the 3000 people who took part in the Protest in 2008 were to use the Baths 11 times a week, at £3.60 a time, Voila……….. £120,000.  This would cost each user £39.60 a WEEK!!!! For £39.50 you can get a MONTHLY membership for Ribby Hall!!

I hope Rural Splash succeed, I commend FBC for giving them the chance, I hope St Annes’ residents take the opportunity to set up a similar Trust to re-open their baths.

I HOPE LOCAL NEWSPAPERS/WEBSITES START REPORTING THINGS ACCURATELY!!!!!!

www.benignintervention.wordpress.com

The council has posted a news item on the website (below)

http://www.fylde.gov.uk/NewsArticle.asp … E-A7826972

But what about the free swimming funding for children and OAP's could this not be used to generate some additional funding to keep the much loved baths open?

I personally think a stand alone swimming baths is not a sustainable venture, people want a swim, gym and a sauna these days and who can blame them, with most modern facilities offering this.

I just hope that the baths does not remain open in its current form for a lengthy period of time as it will eventually be unsustainable however much people love it.