‘Promising progress’ is being made in the search to find a new owner for Burnham-On-Sea’s closure-threatened swimming pool, bosses from Sedgemoor District Council told 150 people at a packed meeting in the town on Thursday evening (February 7th).
The public meeting gave pool users and local residents a chance to grill local council representatives about their progress in saving the pool before the May 31st deadline.
Duncan McGinty, leader of the district council, told the meeting at Burnham’s Community Centre: “I’m hopeful that we’re going to have a good outcome before the end of May.”
He said talks were underway with several interested parties – thought to be four or five firms – and that “promising progress” was being made, although he added that he could not give further details about the prospective purchasers “due to legal constraints”.
Cllr Ann Bown, Portfolio Holder for Leisure, Sport & Culture, said the council is “working flat out to try and find the ways and means to keep the pool open” and she said: “I do feel we are moving towards a successful conclusion.”
There was standing room only at the meeting with over a dozen residents – including Tom Ashton, Chairman of the SOS Pool Campaign, and leaders of Burnham Swimming Club able to question Mr McGinty, Cllr Ann Bown and Teresa Harvey, who manages the pool, about the facility’s future.
Mr McGinty hit out at criticism that Sedgemoor District Council had poorly maintained the pool. “It’s a 34 year-old swimming pool that had a 25 year lifespan. If it had not been kept in a good condition, it wouldn’t still be open today,” he claimed.
But Mr Ashton said more people would have used the pool if more money had been spent on maintaining it. “Burnham pool is much loved and is a super facility, but it would be in a much better condition if more money had been spent maintaining it. The entry fees at the pool are 30-40 per cent lower than other pools when it’s this pool that needs the income.”
Pat Pusill, Team Manager at Burnham Swimming Club, asked the panel whether any alternative arrangements had been made for her swimmers to continue training in other pools. Teresa Harvey said had discussed the matter with pools in the Bridgwater and Taunton area.
Local resident Ed Champion said he was concerned about the wait before a decision is made on the pool’s future. “You can’t just leave the pool’s future hanging for 6, 12 or 18 months while the discussions with interested parties are held.” But Mr Ginty said the timeframes are “very clear” with May 31st known by the interested parties as well as those leading the talks. He added that the talks “are close to the 35 per cent stage now.”
Burnham resident Brian Rowden asked the council why the current financial problems – which include a spending shortfall of £1.8m – were not flagged up earlier. “Why didn’t you know about this problem last summer if the number of bus passes is known?” he asked. But Cllr Bown said the “the number of requested bus passes had exceeded the council’s estimates” while Mr McGinty added that demand had been difficult to predict, with council’s current expenditure on bus passes amounting to £1.13 million.
In answer to a question about how pool subsidies are used, Mr McGinty said Burnham pool’s subsidies are directed at children’s swimming. In answer to a separate question about whether the council’s lawyers will be putting a clause in place to prevent any new pool owner closing the facility after a few months to sell the land, he confirmed that this would be in place.
Local resident Phil Hemmings asked whether adequate time would be given for any community-funded group to take over the pool should a bid by other parties fail. “We would need between six and eight weeks before the May 31st closure,” he said. Mr McGinty said he would hope to do this.
But Cllr Bown sounded a cautionary note about a community-led bid to take over the pool, saying: “There are lots of health and safety risks to running a pool. If I thought the 6,000 that had signed the petition to save it would each come forward with a £1,000 or so to take it on, it would make my day.”
She added: “If those same people who have signed the petition were using the pool, we wouldn’t be in this position now.”
Regular swimmer Norma Keen said Burnham pool has been part of her life for 17 years. “The other swimmers are like my family and I would hate to say it go.”
Mr McGinty was also quizzed on why Burnham pool had been chosen for closure when Bridgwater’s Splash is also making financial losses. John Lovett, Chairman of Burnham Disabled Swimming Club, said: “If you did a survey in this town, 90% of people would say Bridgwater gets preferential treatment and Burnham comes second. Burnham pool is losing money, but not at the rate of Bridgwater.”
Mr McGinty said Bridgwater was not being treated differently, but that the decision had been based around the higher costs of running Burnham pool. The council’s Teresa Harvey added that staff and services were also being cut back at The Splash in order to save money, although she confirmed that its closure was not under consideration.
The next public meeting will be held on March 6th at 6pm in Burnham Community Centre.
RELATED LINKS:
Official ‘Save Our Swimming Pool’ website
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