Labour councillors back extra funds for new swim facility (From York Press)

Labour councillors back extra funds for new swim facility

8:39am Monday 5th July 2010 in

By Mark Stead » mark.stead@thepress.co.uk

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OPPOSITION councillors in York have performed a U-turn over how a new swimming pool for the city should be funded.

City of York Council’s Labour group originally intended to oppose an extra £1 million of public money being invested in plans to create an eight-lane, 25-metre facility at the University of York’s Heslington East campus extension.

But its members are now set to give “qualified support” to the scheme when the funding issue is discussed by the authority’s executive tomorrow, although they say they also remain committed to the return of a city centre pool. The council agreed to provide £2 million towards the £8.9 million York Sports Village pool in 2007 and is now expected to approve borrowing the additional cash, with the university taking responsibility for running and maintaining the facility during its first 25 years.

Labour’s leisure spokesperson Coun Sonja Crisp said: “We have given this a great deal of consideration and believe it is the only way forward in the current climate, while retaining our full commitment to a city centre pool.

“We are doing the responsible thing in supporting publicly-accessible swimming provision when it is so badly needed.

“The critical factor is that the legal agreement is right and both the university and the council know exactly what to expect over the first 25 years of the pool’s life.”

Labour leader Coun James Alexander met the university’s pro vice-chancellor, Elizabeth Heaps, last week to seek assurances on his party’s concerns about the pool, and Coun Crisp said some of those fears, including disabled toilet provision, public access, pricing and transport, had been allayed.

“We are aware of a campaign by a Heslington resident to improve the conditions of access for the public and we fully support that campaign,” she said.

She said Labour’s commitment to a city centre pool remained “unwavering”.

Campaigner seeks ‘public access’ pledge

A GRADUATE of the University of York is campaigning for cast-iron assurances that any swimming pool built in Heslington will be open to the whole community.

David Levene, 21, has launched a Facebook page and has contacted councillors and university bosses in an attempt to secure public use for the planned facility.

He said: “It would have been great to use such a facility while I was a student. I have launched a campaign to push for the pool and I am seeking greater guarantees from the university over community access.”

Mr Levene, a former Wakefield resident who intends to make his home in York, said he believed community access was “the right thing to do and could make the project more viable”.

His Facebook group, called SOS: Save Our Swimming! Campaign For A Heslington Swimming Pool, has about 50 members.

The former sociology student has written to Elizabeth Heaps, University of York pro vice chancellor for estates, and he showed The Press an email response in which she said the swimming pool had “been planned all along to provide access to the community.”

He described the reply as “positive”.

Comments(18)

LibDem says...
9:10am Mon 5 Jul 10

This is very odd. Perhaps Labour should think in future before we have any more knee jerk opposition to the provision of improved sports facilities in the City.
But even more curious is the implication that the public access terms have in some way changed since the proposal was published on the Councils web site 10 days ago. The report clearly sets out the arrangements for public access including for those with disabilities. Why would anyone start an apparently spurious Facebook page to press for something which is already guaranteed?
To quote from the report to be considered tomorrow by the Councils Executive:
“York Sports Village Swimming Pool – Overarching Principles
The swimming pool facility will:
• Be accessible to all York citizens and members of the University, including club use
• Encourage participation by promoting the benefits of a healthy active lifestyle
• Provide facilities for a range of abilities and actively encourage participation by all members of the communities
• Promote use by people with disabilities
• Be designed and maintained as a high quality environment
• Have a flexible charging and admissions policy that promotes the maximum use of the facilities during the day and encourages widening participation
• Be financially self-sufficient including an allowance for sufficient ongoing maintenance and renewal
• Have an independent identity
It will meet the city’s need for short course competition standard facility and will provide a comprehensive publicly accessible programme covering clubs, general swimming, schools, classes, family sessions, targeted sessions, and galas.