Tunstall Fight The Cuts second meeting 22nd Feb Minutes- Christchurch

Fight the Cuts – 22^nd February 7.30pm 
 

Agenda 

1. Ideas of building a Trust
   •    English Heritage – cash strapped
   •    Easier to obtain funding via charitable trust 
   •    Councillor Mattoob – main objective is to keep the pool open 
   •    Day to day running costs as we need to make it financially viable 
   •    Cost analysis – RH 
   •    Advertisements 
   •    Council meeting 24^th February 2011 – not allowed in 
2. Currently trying to liaise with Amateur Swimming Association (ASA).
3. Do the community want a Trust or the council to own the pool - the majority vote went for a Trust to own the pool.
4. Question of loyalty to staff

Joan Whalley gave an overview of the current situation, 8% cuts for Stoke-on-Trent equates to £36 million 

Local Authority has a responsibility for Water Safety 

Liaise with Primary Schools 

Aware of chronic disease prevalence 

How do the local community promote fitness within our locality? 

Lack of investment over the years by Stoke On Trent Council 

Encouragement by Joan Whalley for Stoke on Trent council to build up a strategy no fruition 

Liaisons with Amateur Swimming Association (ASA) – forwarded to council 

Latest situation the ASA are very keen to work with Trust to keep open 

Heritage lottery fund interested “if there were an application” 

Other organisations could be approached 

No certainty of gaining funds but if we don’t try it will be the lesser of two evils 

Would council give us stay of executive if liaisons with ASA commence? 
 

Heathside House 

What does the Council intend to do with these patients - don’t want privatised services. 

Moved out of purpose built home – therefore have no choice and no-one to stand up for them 

Older generation have no voice 

According to Heathside House’s website, the inspection gave very good results.  If Heathside is closed this would be yet another derelict building in Goldenhill. 

Do we make these decisions in the current economic climate which will effect the most vulnerable population in our society. 
 
 

No further answers from Stoke on Trent Council 
 

Questions 

Q1. Why have Councillors (who have known for so long) urban heritage – didn’t think it was a viable enterprise? 

Councillor Megan - only found out 3 weeks ago. 

Councillor Matloob - can’t get funding from Central Government and don’t want to shut it. 

Councillor Khan - meetings are taking place at present and dialogue is ongoing, can give assurance that they are doing their best, the door is not closed until 31^st March 2011. 

Q2. Abolish City Magazine 

No comment 

Q3. Better sports facilities 100 years ago. 

No comment 

Q4. CEO Education Officer – where will school swimming go to? 

Schools in Holden Lane, James Brindley High School and Fenton Manor. 

There is currently 28 ½ hours of swimming a week from Schools, how are the schools and Fenton going to accommodate this? 

Invite JO and Joan –  2 gentlemen from local construction company on Monday are coming out to help and see what they can do 

Joan advised need to get a collective dialogue going. 

Q5. Where are the children going to go to? 

Joan suggested involving school councils. 

Q6. How will Councillors be voting for the budget? 

Councillor Khan –  have to vote for it because Central Government will take over. 

Q7. Approached last April and nothing being done, has been a lack of action. 

No comment 

Q8. Where are we with the ASA – no conclusion yet. 

£103,000 loss – if the ASA take it on – don’t need to pay council tax or VAT and would need to raise £20,000 

If prices of weekly swimming lessons were raised by £1 a week this would get an extra £86,000 per annum 

Also reduce the temperature by 1°C 

Q9. Called round business in UK, found one 

Contacted Councillors and no one was able to meet them, try again next week

No other Children’s services is as valuable 

Q10. Big Society – need structured management. 

Joan what can we do. 

Richard advised that according to the ASA you should never drain a pool and there would be cost implications and you could lose your customer base if this happens 

Please to use pool as business as normal – need to liaise with groups to get action plan going and to look at marketing strategy 

09/10 £170,000 deficit 

Many Thanks to Richard, Father John and Paula for their services