Letter from Joan Walley to Stoke on Trent City Council in relation to Tunstall Pool

During the 1st meeting at Christchurch, Richard Hawthorne read out a letter from Joan Walley to a crowd of about 58 people concerned and wanting to help to fight local cuts to Tunstall Pool and Heathside Residential Home.

RE: Budget Development 2011/12-2012/13 Tunstall Pool - URGENT
I am writing further to my meeting with you last week to follow up what can be done even at this late stage for a reconsideration of the City Council’s recommended decision to close Tunstall Pool.

I have raised this also with Tristram Hunt MP and Rob Flello, MP and they support me in wanting to ensure a solution is found and there is no interruption to the facility.

Firstly, when we met you said that I could have a copy of the consultant’s report which the City Council has commissioned in respect of swimming policy. I don’t appear to have received that yet and would be grateful for an early copy in order that I can respond to you.

Secondly, I would like confirmation that the members of the City Council have had chance to consider this report themselves prior to finalising any decision about the future of Tunstall Pool. In earlier meetings with the City Council I was advised that the report it intended to commission on wider aspects of swimming policy would be the background against which any proposals in respect of the future of Tunstall Pool would be made. It is as important as ever that any decisions made by the City Council are informed ones.
I wish to make you personally aware of my approaches to your department over the last 12 months on this matter, including a meeting with the Cabinet member and sports officer on this matter. I have been in contact with the City Council since March last year, and have asked for and attended meetings from April onwards. Throughout all of this my approach was to ask the City Council to work up options and different business case scenarios for all eventualities, including budget pressures. The Leader of the City Council was aware of my approaches in this respect.
Having approached the Amateur Swimming Association almost a year ago, and received their offer of help to assist the City Council to work with them to secure a £50,000 grant to kick-start discussions as to a long term way forward, including seeking other funding, I had expected that the City Council would have made firm progress by now. I also asked the City Council to consider all other options, even if that meant considering alternative ways of running the pool should that become necessary. I also envisaged an application to HLF for that part of the building which is listed and to the Big Lottery/sport funding bodies to provide the refurbishment and repair costs. I expected that the City Council would draw up detailed plans and business scenarios to seek ways of securing capital and revenue funding. I repeat again that I forwarded to the City Council the confirmation I was given from the Lottery bodies that should the City Council approach them with bids they would meet with the City Council to set out what funding options could be open.

I understand from David Sparkes, CEO of the Amateur Swimming Association that they are still committed to providing some funding towards keeping Tunstall Pool open and operational in some form and that they were awaiting the outcome of the Consultant’s Report to enable them to construct

a strategy whereby this could happen. The Amateur Swimming Association was informed that this would not be available until the 24th February 2011. It does not seem logical to make a decision regarding the future of the swimming pool without giving the Amateur Swimming Association and other interested groups the opportunity to assist.

The Amateur Swimming Association is prepared to consider the creation of a Trust to operate the swimming pool in the short term assuming the economics are viable. I understand that you have provided them with financial data relating to the operation of the pool but they are awaiting a structural report before submitting a proposal to the City Council. Surely the City Council should give this option serious consideration before making an arbitrary decision?
I have asked for information to be able to understand how much the pool costs to run, what investment has/ has not been spent over the years, what benefits the pool being run by a Trust/non-profit making organisation/ social enterprise/ alternative provider could bring in respect of reduced VAT, tax costs etc, what scope there could be to include Tunstall pool in any reconfiguration of swimming, and whether the City Council would approach the HLF and other Sport funding bodies to secure the funds to update the building to ensure reduced running costs and a viable business plan.
On each occasion I have had meetings there has been no evidence that serious proposals to achieve this have been followed up and there does not appear to have been a business case to explore options to keep the pool open.
Tunstall Pool is used extensively by those learning to swim, for fitness and health and for leisure. It is an English Heritage Grade 2 Listed Building and it is difficult to see what alternative use it will be put to once the pool is closed or moth balled by the City Council. It is used extensively by older people who rely on it for good health and well being. It is used by youngsters learning to swim. It fulfils a substantial part of the Council’s responsibilities to provide water safety. It is used extensively by young and old alike within the local population and is located in an area with considerable deprivation and need for social cohesion initiatives. There is a small studio available for events. There is no limit to the wider use that could be made of it.

Throughout the City Council’s consultation response to the government cuts, local people have contacted the City Council to ask for Tunstall Pool to be saved, but the strength of local feeling does not appear to have been fully recorded or reflected in the City Council’s response. On this I have been asked to receive a further petition on Friday 18/2/2011 at 3.15pm and I intend to do this and pass it on to the City Council.

I still maintain that it is not too late for the Council to accept in good faith not just the weight of public opinion but also the support it and I have from the ASA to work together to find a solution. It is difficult to see how if the City Council decides to close or mothball the pool with immediate effect how such an option could remain on the table, and experience elsewhere bears this out.

I am therefore asking if in the light of the interest of the ASA and in the best interests of swimming across the City if you will look again at the costs of keeping it open until such time as talks with the Amateur Swimming Association and others could establish whether a realistic proposal could be put forward to keep the pool open, and in the medium and longer term secure the refurbishment that would cut costs and secure a business plan that would ensure its future viability. I would also want this to be considered in the light of the public health and social cohesion agenda.
This is a well used and loved historic pool. I am asking again if you will respond to me not in general terms but with details of what has actually been done, or could now be done to set out options that

could preserve Tunstall Pool short, medium and long term at what I know is a challenging time for all concerned.

I confirm again that I am willing to give what support I can and would like Stoke-on-Trent City Council to explore a grant application, and approach other providers even at this late stage to get a stay of execution to enable a robust Plan B to be drawn up.

I am copying this to cabinet members and to those who have contacted me about this so that they are aware of my further request that the City Council makes informed decisions in respect of 4-ASCO6 ANS Tunstall Pool Closure.
Thank you for your attention to this. I would welcome an early meeting with yourself and with the ASA and I look forward to your reply.

Yours sincerely,

Joan Walley MP

Stoke-on-Trent North