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Friends of Kirkham Baths Profile

FRIENDS OF KIRKHAM BATHS
NOTES FROM MEETING at KIRKHAM COMMUNITY CENTRE
Tuesday 18th March at 7.30pm
 
1.  Mr G Raymond Green thanked all present and all who had supported the march to save Kirkham Baths.  Mr Green explained that purpose of tonight's meeting was to get the interested parties together to discuss the possibilities of independent funding for Kirkham Baths, which would allow continued operation of the pool and possibly secure its future.
He said it was encouraging to see that everyone present at the meeting would be interested to see the Baths continue.
 
2.  Simon Renwick, for Fylde Borough Council, said the the Fylde Borough Council were minded to make a "Community Transfer" of the Kirkham Baths, with a subsidy towards the running costs of it.
 
3.  Mr Green thanked him and offered the following possibilities towards the running costs to secure the continued operation of the Baths:

  • Capped subsidy by Fylde Borough Council.
  • Possible contributions by the local village Parish Councils.
  • Local Business Sponsorships
  • After being transferred there would a heightened sense of Community Ownership which would provide a further magnet for funding.


4.  Mr Green explained that the second part of the tonight's meeting would be to tell the public about what the local Councillors and Parish Chairmen, plus the Friends of Kirkham Baths are trying to achieve. He explained that the Mayor of Kirkham, Councillor Mrs. Liz Oades would continue to chair this meeting from this point on and that this should not be a political issue, and that if any members of the public needed to speak would they please raise a hand and speak via the chairman.
 
5.Mrs Oades began by saying Council Members had been doing work behind the scenes since the news about lack of funding had been made public. Other Pools across Britain had suffered in similar ways. The Jesmond Pool on Tyneside had been closed down by the local Council, but was now re-opened as a Trust and was making a profit.
 
Mrs Oades said that to achieve this for Kirkham Pool we would have to set up a Trust. Mrs Oades asked for volunteers to step forward or even persons with helpful contacts, who may wish to become Trustees on such a Trust for Kirkham Baths. The following would be needed:-

  • Trustees to volunteer to work on the Trust
  • Persons with helpful contacts
  • G Raymond Green had already offered legal advice
  • An accountant would be needed
  • A Marketing adviser would be needed
  • A P.R. and Publicity adviser would be needed

Mrs Oades said that at Jesmond Pool they had Volunteer Lifeguards and gardeners happy to work towards the good of the community.

  • Local Councillors had already agreed to ask their Parish Chairmen about the possibilities of contributing to such a Trust Fund.
  • The Local Primary Care Trust would be asked
  • Many members of the Public at the march for the Baths had offered  to contribute.
     

6. A member of the public spoke up and said this work needs to start now, we should try to get Volunteers for the Trust Committee now at this meeting. Volunteers then stood up and offered to be Trustees/helpers, names as follows:-

  • Mrs Delia Appleton
  • Mrs Miranda Cox
  • Elaine Silverwood
  • Peter Hardy
  • Mr Doug Walker, Headmaster KGS
  • Mr Francis McCaffery    
  • Rosemary Horan
  • Mr G R Green (would also ask about Accounting advice)
  • Mr J Dobson
  • Mr Lester Jefferson marketing/Website advice

When standing up to speak, Mrs Cox asked if Fylde Borough Council would allow time to set up the such a Trust. Mr Simon Renwick agreed that if extra time were needed then he was sure this would be allowed, and that the Borough Council would also be able to help with advice if needed.

7.  Mr Green summarised the list of Volunteers and said:

  • We should look at possibility of funding from National Lottery
  • Michael Jack, MP for Fylde, would be spending time this month

             In correspondence looking for funding.

  • Mr Green would put bulletins in local Advertiser, Fyldelife website and Town Council website to up date the Friends of the Baths.

8.  Mr Renwick for F.B.C. said it could take a few years to get the Bathsto be self supporting.
 

9.  Mr Green said that with a permanent subsidy from F.B.C., and from the local Parish Councils, with voluntary contributions from public  it may be possible to add to and improve the infrastructure of the Baths.

10. Mrs Oades said the Committee should write to F.B.C. to ask if, in addition to a regular subsidy, they would be able to give a Capital sum to upgrade the pool to make it more attractive and boost the custom

The question arose that FBC may build a new Pool at Lytham and if so would Kirkham Baths suffer as a result? Simon Renwick said that the if a Pool at Lytham were built, it would stand alone. And that if Kirkham Baths were transferred FBC would set the funding at a certain level, the two pools would operate in isolation.

11.  The question of swimming in the National Curriculum arose and it was agreed the Trustees when setting up the trust, should approach the LEA for possible funding.

12.  Mrs Oades asked everyone to please encourage people to use the Baths, we all need to support it. Plus if possible, we also need to involve the larger local companies in funding projects.
 
13.  Mrs Oades thanked all present for attending.

NEXT MEETING

To be advised

Previous Notes:

PEOPLE POWER - PROTESTORS PARADE AGAINST CLOSURE OF BATHS
 
 
KIRKHAM BATHS
 
* Swimming is Britain's most popular sporting activity.
 
* The decline in swimming facilities has been accompanied by a rapid increase in child obesity.
 
*  In 2006  the Government spent £5.5 million to top up swimming lessons for 11 year olds as one in five children could not  swim the required 25 metres stipulated in the National Curriculum targets.
 
BUT
 
*  There are not enough pools to fulfil the National curriculum targets
and Pools continue to close at an alarming rate.
There is no joined up thinking by the Government.
 
* Closer to home  the lack of joined up thinking continues.
 
KIRKHAM POOL
 
*  Eight local schools have swimming pupils within walking distance of Kirkham Baths
* Eight more schools take a short bus ride for swimming lessons to Kirkham
* Together these pupils have 20,000 swims per year
* 3,000  local school children in the 16 schools would be affected by closure
* This was a Public Pool - (GIVEN lock stock and barrel to the townspeople), handed over in good condition to Fylde Borough Council in 1975, all Fylde Borough had to do was maintain it.
 
Now  FBC want to close it and turn it into an 'unused asset', and use the money from this and other 'unused assets' to build a new town hall at a cost of £7 million.
 
*  By 2012 the Government spend will be £200 million on an Aquatic sports Centre for the Olympic and Paralympic Games.  But there will be nowhere for enthusiastic children to swim, let alone practice speed swimming!
 
*HERE, in Kirkham we will have a brand new Town Hall and nowhere to swim.  This is a National and Local Disgrace.
 
*  Fylde Borough's Budget has a £1 million deficit - they are selling assets to plug it, the real problem to be addressed is management, not selling off vital assets
 
*The National Curriculum, requirement is that children learn to swim - how can local schools now meet that requirement?
 
* Heads of Schools tell me that they will not be able to to bus children out of the area -  there will therefore be a hole in sixteen school timetables where 'SWIMMING LESSON' should be.
 
SOLUTION
 
* Put up cost of Swimming to a sensible level - Friends of Kirkham Baths agreed this proposal
* Let us have and honest and sensible Budget for Pool - removing items of "Central Cost" which would still be there if pool was closed.
*Improve facilities and market  them - the Kirkham Baths Website is pathetic.
*Get out of the vicious circle in which the facility is deprived of funding so becoming less attractive to the public, producing declining attendances, and ultimately providing excuse for closure.
 
Fylde Borough Council should hang its head in shame.
 
People of Kirkham

 - lobby the Town Council
   the Fylde Borough Council
   the Lancashire Councy Council
   the Education Authority

   Your MP Mr. Michael Jack House of Commons


And finally  - go and swim, often.......
 
I am leaving here now to start a SWIM IN - by swimming a half mile - join me and SWIM FOR KIRKHAM BATHS !

E-mail me at  hilary@hotmail.com  with your distance and I will keep the log and add it to the petition I am holding with over 4000 signatures

RAYMOND GREEN

CHAIRMAN, FRIENDS OF KIRKHAM BATHS.

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