12:50pm Monday 17th August 2009
By Alex Hayes
A BUSINESS plan drawn up by campaigners fighting to save a treasured High Wycombe swimming pool has been rejected by Wycombe District Council.
Council leader Lesley Clarke has written to members of the Holywell Mead Steering Group to tell them their “ambitious” plans had been rejected.
The decision leaves the future of the pool in The Rye, which was closed as a money-saving measure by councillors in February, in jeopardy.
The business plan proposed measures including opening the pool all-year-round and fitting a telescopic roof, as well as getting water sports groups to use the pool more regularly.
However, Cllr Clarke cites a “lack of apparent consideration of health and safety requirements” as a “serious concern” for the council.
Other factors cited in her response included underestimating the cost and number of staff needed, an over-reliance on volunteers, not including operator costs and a simplified demand and usage model.
She added: “Despite further questioning about specific elements of the business plan, the group were unfortunately unable to provide satisfactory responses which would have gone some way to alleviating the council's concerns.
“It is disappointing the council is unable to support the progression of this plan, but the group's offer to continue as a support group that would take an active interest in the future of Holywell Mead is most welcome.”
Neil Bailey, the chairman of the steering group, said the group had researched the plan by looking at successful models from other working lidos, including one at Hampton.
He said: “We could not get costs from a pool operator because the council had not jut handed over the keys to us and say go and get a company to run it.
“We have also had hundreds of offers of help from members of the public and looking at the most successful pools around the country it's clear they rely on a lot of volunteers.”
He added the group were happy to keep supporting the pool, but warned there must be changes if it is to reopen.
He said: “We see the council's comments as an invitation to keep talking to them. Our aim is still to get the pool reopened. We believe a valuable community asset as been lost.
“We still hope to save the pool, but it probably won't be in the way originally proposed.
“While we are happy to be a support group raising funds for the pool it needs to be sustainable in the long term.
“The way the pool operated before it was quite apparent the opening time was too short and more needed to be done with the marketing at the very least.”
Mr Bailey added the group would keep pushing for the pool to be reopened by next summer.
“If it stays mothballed for much longer the cost of refurbishment in preparation for reopening would be prohibitive,” he said.
“We started this because the council had closed the pool and did not want anything to do with it. We raised the profile of it so much they started to talk to us about keeping it open.”
The steering group are set to meet tomorrow to discuss the future of the pool.
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