Tunstall Community Pool Group to withdrawn plans to re-open Tunstall Pool
At the last meeting with Stoke-on-Trent City Council, the Tunstall Community Pool Group formally withdrew its plans to re-open Tunstall Pool as a community run facility. They have therefore retracted the business proposal which included the asset transfer of the Tunstall Pool building.
The Tunstall Community Pool Group entered into negotiations with the council back in May.Since that time the group has worked tirelessly in order to build up a solid business plan.Meeting with various groups and business leaders during the process.
Part of creating a business proposal was to carry out market research, the group have done this using various means, local radio and newspapers, facebook, email, websites, flyers in school bags, sponsorship and campaign awareness.
Sadly the response from the community has been very low. Too low to even begin considering re-opening the pool and putting in the new charging models needed to allow the facility to be run as a not for profit charitable company.
However, with deep regret they can no longer work towards the desired outcome.
Looking back, many factors have lead to some of the apathy met:
- The Council did not offer to start discussions with any community groups before the facility was closed.
- The 3 month period from the pool closing to the Council agreeing to talk to the group.During this time the local MP worked with the Amateur Swimming Association to try and get them to take over the pool. However, they stated on many occasions that they would manage the facility but were not interested in any asset transfer. In the meantime the Council refused to deal with any other party.
- The lengthy period needed to build the business plan.
- People have now moved to other pools, a great many heading to Kidsgrove & Newcastle pools.
Very early on it had been hoped that the pool would not close and the Amateur Swimming Association could have temporarily ran the pool, this would have meant the the group wouldn’t have had to play catch up.
Richard Hawthorne expressed thanks to Stoke-on-Trent City Council for openly dealing with the group, and for providing the data required for to build the business plan. The group also expressed their thanks to those from the community that have offered their support for the project, your support has kept them going.
We take it for granted that these types of facilities will always be there and that there will always be people to keep them open for you, but that’s not the case in this cash strapped world.
It's sad to think that the vision for Stoke-on-Trent is the one City approach and sod the 6 towns, is already here reaching havoc on the towns of the North & South of the City.
We'll bring you the official press release when it's out.
Comments
This is so sad, but I think
This is so sad, but I think the council are to blame by draging their feet and making everyone concerned with the reopening wait for news and results, I know things like this do not move quickley but they knew if they waited people would go elsewhere and if you have signed a contract with another pool or gym for 12months you will not leave and go back to Tunstall, financialy people would not be able to afford to commit to two places at the same time. What can I say other than R.I.P. Tunstall Baths I learned to swim there when I went to Mill Hill Jnrs they may close the baths but they can not take away the happy memories of times spent there.
Sue V This was their plan
Sue V This was their plan right from day one,and along with other "deals" this and the previous "secret" members made, this stinks.
This is such a great shame,
This is such a great shame, My wife and myself were looking forward to the pool opening again. I would like to take this time to say Thank you to the group for your efforts, it couldn't have been easy.
I hear a rumour in town that Joan Walley has plans to open this pool another way. How will your decision effect Joans plans?
Joan has been looking into
Joan has been looking into opening the pool another way all the way through the process. She held up talks between the council and the group for 3 months, in which time the community support had dwindled down to just a few hundred people. I am not saying the Community project would have definitely been a success but Joan did not help at all during our negotiations with the council.
If she does happen to open the pool again it will be great. However, I for one am not holding my breath.
Rich know like everyone else
Rich know like everyone else I've got to wait for the groups official answer, although some of it leaked out last week with John on the radio saying that chances of continuing were slim because the lack of support. But what do you think is the main reason locally for the support waining.
Was it the delay, and them moving on to new pools?
Was it the realisation that the new facility wasn't going to be able to used for next to nothing as it NEEDED to make money to survive?
Is there no money locally to support the pool from business or from people?
From day one this has been a
From day one this has been a travesty committed by the council.
Lack of money?
When there was £5 million sitting in reserves that Ian Norris had come across, and the £43 million sitting in the Debt Management Office (the documents still available)up to Jan 11?
Whenever the DMO is mentioned the Labour councillors went deaf, or looked on the FOI documents as if they were written in Klingon.
In my opinion this has never been about money (after all the council were prepared to donate £100,000 to Mo Choudry when they closed Dimensions weren't they?)this is a case of whose wagging the councils tail?
Who will gain the most?
The saddest thing is the
The saddest thing is the people of this area will now lose out twice as those of you who follow the site will have seen the news about Kidsgrove pool closing.
Fenton is out of the question for me, it's too far, you have to pay parking fees when you get there.
Monkey I don't think support
Monkey I don't think support waned, those that want the pool to re-open would still go back. Its more the motivation and strenght to fight on.
As with most action groups there is a core body that do all the work, its then easy for others to be glad there needs are being fought for and take back seat.
Notice FOI about running costs of James Brindley Pool be submitted, there were concerns with who would manage that pool as Acadamies don't normally take on such facilities.
Sad news all around, but thanks must go to the Group for all the work they did in attempting to save it
•°o.OO.o° » http://iannorris68.wordpress.com/ « °o.OO.o°•
I've got to disagree with you
I've got to disagree with you Ian about the groups motivation waning. When putting a business plan together if your market research suggests that people won't be coming back, you've not got a business. This venture couldn't be ran as it was previously ran where people came in for free, we'd have had to charge and try and get into the black.
John & Rich have put a hell of a lot of their own time into this, and hell of a lot. Even through all of the hurdles they've never stopped, it's only when you look at the break even figures and the number of people needed then it's straight forward maths.
Richard am I reading this
Richard am I reading this right are you saying that Joan Whally was the problem with getting things up and running with the pool??, was this the councilor in her that was working against the group.
I also would like to say "thank you to all concerned" in the attempt to reopen the baths.
I have had a chat with one or two of the early morning swimmers this week and no doubt I will see a few more over the next week or so, apart from the swimming I do miss the people, the banter, the chats, and the jokes.
Sue, Joan tried to get the
Sue, Joan tried to get the council to accept the Amateur Swimming Association proposal to run the pool on behalf of the council.
Within their proposal the council would still have to maintain the facility, pay the staff etc... they would only run the facility for them and try to generate more use for the pool. During this time she knew that the council would not talk to any other group with regard to asset transfer, she continued even though the council had stated only full asset transfer will be acceptable and the ASA had stated they would never look at full asset transfer.
Even now she is trying to force this one through, we have never received any official support from Joan or the ASA and this 3 month delay definitely did not help as many of the people who used to swim at the pool found alternative venues.
It is a fact that now in this
It is a fact that now in this end of the city without the pool at Kidsgrove in operation the nearest pool is Fenton or Biddulph so I feel yet again we have been hit in the North of Stoke. However a fundemantal error of the Pool was the pricing structure asking people if they would pay more I found this a major error seems a lot of support went when the mention of more money came into the equation.
Fundamentally the buck stops with the council it is there fault along with all the stupid cuts that Clegg & Cameron have bought in I feel very let down by it all this area is doomed to failure. Beavers gone Pool gone another high st name leave Tunstall town centre to name but a few. It is a pity that there isn't a rich benefactor to put money into the pool to run it as a community attraction.
This area has lost another part of its history a very sad day for all concerned.
However thanks must go to those who fought to try and keep this open. What will the next hammer blow to hit us over here be? Cameron its over to you.
Markymark, as much as I
Markymark, as much as I detest the Tory's and Cam-moron, the decision to close this pool and Sheltons ,along with a care home was made before the Tory's even came to power.
This council have been allowed to abrogate its responsibilities.
When faced with the F,O,I Documents from the DMO Pervez and Joy Garner tried to deny the facts printed in front of them, and when I challenged all the councillors and the officers of the council via Pitsnpots "not one came forward" to even debate or deny the figures presented by Ian Norris and myself.
Ask yourself why first Dimensions is put forward for closure, and then Tunstall, and Shelton are closed?
All three pools are in close proximity to Festival Park.
Conspiracy theory maybe, but with the secrecy surrounding the Dimensions fiasco, until a full independent investigation is carried out there will always be doubt.
I would complain to Pervez's face but he's on a jolly (paid for by the tax-payer)in America.
Funny how funds suddenly appear for these Jollys, isn't it?
Terry its an absolute joke
Terry its an absolute joke how these funds are found after so many cuts is beyond belief.
To actually shut this pool is an absolute travesty. My child's class now have no where for swimming lessons and are missing out yet again the authorities are failing our younger generation.
I cannot understand the
I cannot understand the acceptance by the people of Tunstall to just let this closure go through.
Pervez and his cronies have -in my opinion- mislead the people over this closure, and have made matters worse by hiding their secret deals with Mo Choudry.
This whole closure -Tunstall, Shelton, and the secret deal to close Dimensions using tax-payers money- giving a local businessman £100.000 while making local people redundant (costing the tax-payer more) for the saving of £60,000 stinks to high heaven.
Involved in this debacle is Former Mayor Meredith, Roger Ibbs, Legal services, and the Finance Department.
There should be protests inside and outside of the council, until the council fulfills its duty of preserving and maintaining the services the public pay them for.
If they are allowed to get away with this, what will be next?
The parks, Libraries (oh sorry they have already started closing them)street cleaning,??????
The closure of this pool is
The closure of this pool is awful, schools used it and local people used it.
As far as lack of support, I have seen NO flyers in school bags, NO rallied support in Tunstall ASDA and NO people campaining in tunstall. If we had held collections based over several weeks out side the tunstall retail shops then we could have raised a few quid to help, but none of the above was done, People are willing to help but no help was asked for it was kept a secret. Big Brother always tells us the workers what we are going to lose and when.
I would like to invite any of
I would like to invite any of the Tuesday aqua-fit ladies & men to meet up on Monday 21st Nov at 12.30 at Christ church hall.For a get together,cup of tea & a cake to reflect on the pool closure.
janet
I would like to invite any of
I would like to invite any of the Tuesday aqua-fit ladies & men to meet up on Monday 21st Nov at 12.30 at Christ church hall.For a get together,cup of tea & a cake to reflect on the pool closure.
janet
In a update to the Pool saga,
In a update to the Pool saga, the council have just announced the following in regards to the Grade II listed Tunstall Pool building.
So now we will soon see what was originally planned all along. Watch this space.
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