Westbury pool's future discussed (From This Is Wiltshire)

Westbury pool's future discussed

11:00pm Sunday 29th August 2010 in

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Wiltshire Council’s plans to get the community to run Westbury Pool and Leighton Sports Centre were met with anger as they were discussed at last week’s area board.

After conducting a review of all leisure facilities in the county, Wiltshire Council has proposed that Westbury Swimming Pool, which is the oldest working pool in the country, and Leighton Sports Centre be run by community trusts or close.

If no one comes forwards to run either facility, the sports centre will close by 2016 and the swimming pool by 2017.

The council plans to refurbish the centres, including adding a new £3m bowling green for Leighton, before transferring them to community trusts.

Cabinet member for leisure Stuart Wheeler joked at Westbury Area Board in Heywood Village Hall last Thursday, that he’ll be lucky to survive all 18 area board meetings during the consultation period. “I want to make it very clear that this was not about facility closures,” he said. “We want buildings that are efficient and more modern, that use less fuel.

“It may be a logical move to link the Westbury Pool and Leighton to run them as a single body. We are not prescribing any particular method, it’s up to the people of Westbury.

“The people running already successful trust facilities in Calne and Cricklade have offered to give help and advice.”

Mike Parker of the Save Westbury Pool Campaign believes the pool will close if it is not run in conjunction with the sports centre.

“If the council doesn’t take a decision to combine Leighton and the pool it will consign Westbury Pool to failure, “ he said. “Unlike Leighton, Westbury Pool does not have space for a café, there’s barely space for a vending machine.

“I don’t think this is something the council can back away from.”

Westbury Amateur Swimming Club coach Stephen Pyne believes the people of Westbury will lose out under the proposals.

He said: “It seems to me the council is abandoning the two council run facilities in Westbury and the people are still expected to pay their council tax to fund pools and big leisure centres in other parts of the county.

“Without the pool one of the oldest swimming clubs in the country will close.”

Wiltshire Council councillor for Westbury West, Russell Hawker, said: “We’ve got a very impressive Save Westbury Swimming Pool Campaign committee team and I hope they step up to the plate to run the swimming pool, if they take on Leighton as well, even better. I look forward to the discussion.”

The public consultation into the county’s leisure facilities ends on October 29.