Thank you so much Jamie Gutch from IGS for hosting us and staying on to look after us, to Smylers for stepping in to be moderator and handling us all so well. Thank you Robbie, Ros, David, Andrew for being open and honest and being willing to step up to help us get into a better collaboration with BC.
Many thanks to the 100+ people who joined the meeting, not just from Ilkley, but also pool and lido users from across West Yorkshire.
Basic information
I am sure you are all sick of the links to the reports, but they do give you all you need to know about the flaws in the review process (some of which we think has shaped the redirection of the review), and the potential of the pool and lido to be a thriving facility for West Yorkshire. Here they are again:
Key facts for Bradford Council
Current options
The summary of the options as discussed at the meeting based on best intelligence are:
- Closure – this is looking extremely unlikely (but never say never until the ink is dry)
- BC continues to run the pool and ido with a much better collaboration with the community to secure wider resources (financial and in kind).
- BC hands all the leisure services over to a third part not-for-profit provider eg Better or Brimhams Active. This is the preferred model by councils all over England.
- Some sort of hybrid model of ownership and delivery (eg BC runs the facilities and we run a charity; or BC runs part of the facilities and the community runs the rest).
- Community Asset Transfer IF the community asks for it and if its an asset not a liability transfer
The meeting favoured number 2 and 3 of this list. Note the Ilkley Pool and Lido Community Group agrees and has been working on these options in case we have to spring into action. We are also prepared for discussions on option 5 if we need to be.
Timescales
We only had this timetable from BC just before the meeting. This is what we know:
- End October the review paper will be published in the Executive meeting agenda online.We will be in touch to set out what the paper means for Ilkley. If there is a proposal for something the community cannot support we will be ready with email templates for you to send.
- November 3rd 10.30 the BC Executive will consider the options in the review report. There should be a decision
- January to February the decision about Ilkley Pool and Lido will be consulted on as part of the consultation on the whole BC budget proposals.
- We think this consultation then leads to the final budget proposal which goes to the Council in March.That means nothing can happen before April 25. Given the need to save £1.25bn in 25/26 this feels very tight and means we will have been in a 1 year process for the pool and lido review.
- If the November option includes CAT then we will get going on the community response in December / January. Any CAT will take at least 18months according to Bradford’s own process.
What now from our elected representatives and the community
- The elected representatives will work closely with the Pool and Lido Community Group (IP&LCG) meeting more frequently, to provide the best representation possible.
- The town wants the elected representatives to pursue the two options of – (a) exploring a not for profit provider for all BC’s pools AND (b) BC owned in partnership with the community.
- Elected representatives to provide updates to be shared at TC meetings and newsletter, through the IP&LG mailing list – working together with each other.
- The meeting asked Ilkley TC to ask Cllr Sarah Ferriby to a TC meeting to set out the plans for IP&L.
- We should all be at the BC meeting in March if we need to protest the decision.
#Your Pool, Your Heritage, Your Future: Let’s keep it afloat.
