Westbury Area Board rejects WC pool-shutting plan (South West Wiltshire Liberal Democrats)

South West Wiltshire Liberal Democrats <info@swwiltshirelibdems.org.uk>

Westbury Area Board rejects WC pool-shutting plan

September 15, 2010 9:44 AM

Campaigners against the closure of Westbury Pool made their views known at the WAB meeting in Heywood Village Hall on August 18th. The Conservative member for pool-shutting Stuart Wheeler was there to make the case for the council's proposals and to explain the consultation procedure now underway.

West Wiltshire's swimming pools were taken by Wiltshire Council as part of the re-organisation of local councils last year. WC's plan is to close the local pools, replacing them with three big 'Leisure Hubs' in Trowbridge, Warminster and Melksham.

At an earlier meeting Wheeler said it was 'virtually certain' the pool would stay open, without mentioning that this depended on somebody taking over the running of the pool as WC withdrew support and funding.

In response to the point that this would leave Westbury taxpayers funding facilities in other towns whilst either losing their own pool or having to pay extra to keep it Wheeler said the council would be paying for the provision of an indoor bowls facility at Leighton Recreation Centre.

"Save Westbury Pool" campaigner Mike Parker stated that the pool would never be financially viable on its own, whilst swimming coach Stephen Pine explained that 100 young people used the pool each week, and many of these would not be able to go elsewhere if the pool closed.

It was also pointed out that the questionnaire being used by the council as part of the consultation process was designed to make people give the answers the council wanted, thus making them complicit in the closure programme. An attempt to get the meeting to answer the questions was met with considerable resistance, with many people deciding to boycott the process.

Westbury Town Council held a meeting on Tuesday 14 September to discuss the future of local leisure facilities. Westbury Town Council can be contacted on 01373 822232 or via www.westburytowncouncil.co.uk