Residents plead for Westbury Pool (South West Wiltshire Liberal Democrats)

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

Residents plead for Westbury Pool

December 14, 2010 8:17 AM

Westbury pool

Wiltshire Council's 'cabinet' considered the way forward for the county's swimming pools at its meeting in Trowbridge on Tuesday.

The decision of the cabinet was to press ahead with what it calls a 'refined' proposal for the future of leisure facilities. Within this the emphasis has moved away from a presumption of closure and WC is now taking a slightly more positive approach to working with community groups to keep open pools such as Westbury.

Miriam Elloway made the following submission on behalf of users of Westbury Pool.

"I am hoping that you will take into account the needs of the swimming group I attend the three one hour per week therapeutic sessions with, when making your decisions about Westbury's historic bath.

The regular members I attend with are about 30+ in number and are all over 60 years of age and suffering from various ailments (see the Save Westbury Swimming Pool website for their testimonies: http://www.savewestburypool.org.uk/letters/

The pool is a lifeline for some of our members; it allows for gentle exercise in warm water and also offers a safe and friendly environment where people meet in friendship. Part of its attraction for so many of the pool users is the small intimate nature of the building and certainly none of my group would visit, never mind regularly use, what would be to them, a more intimidating facility. If you provide a bigger new pool you will not be giving these pool users what they want and need.

They want the pool to continue to benefit the people of Westbury and they want it to remain in the hands of the Council. The town has a strong attachment to this building and the services it has provided over so many years.

We were sorry to see that no mention was made in your report of the unique nature of the building with its listed status."