St Davids Community Pool Users Group vow to continue battle (From Western Telegraph)
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St Davids Community Pool Users Group vow to continue battle
9:00am Saturday 23rd May 2009 in
Residents in St Davids have promised to fight to the end in their bid to save the city's swimming pool, even if it means ‘lying in front of the bulldozers’.
Amid extraordinary scenes, last week's annual AGM of St Davids City Council had to be switched to the City Hall after almost 200 protesters swarmed the public gallery.
The protesters voiced their concerns at what was described as a lack of support from the local council during their battle to save the pool.
“We should mount a public campaign starting tonight and continuing until they bring the bulldozers in,” said Alan York, member of the St Davids Community Pool Users Group.
"At which point we should lie down in the road in front of them. And we expect you as city councillors to be leading it."
During the meeting, which was frequently interrupted by rapturous applause from the gallery, the council agreed to liase with the pool users group and take the issue forward.
The Mayor of St Davids, Councillor Stephanie Halse, who was inducted in at the AGM, said the council would now add its voice to the 'widespread dismay' expressed at Pembrokeshire County Council plans to close the pool.
"On Monday the hall was packed and there were unprecedented scenes of community dissatisfaction" she said.
"We understand current financial pressures, but the possibility of changing decisions and realigning resources in response to community concerns is always open to the county council."
Cllr Halse added letters had been sent to council cabinet members urging them to reconsider the decision.
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indeview says...
1:45pm Fri 29 May 09
This committee apparently visited all the facilities, including the "small pool in poor condition" at St Davids. The committee raised concerns about this pool but noted that a survey of the pool and buildings was being commissioned to establish their precise condition.
On 15 September 2003, the Cabinet received the O & S Committee's resolutions which were to endorse the Strategy and advise the Cabinet that the O & S Committee supported maintaining the swimming pool in St Davids, altough the draft Strategy had already discounted this pool in favour of the schemes at Fishguard and Haverfordwest.
The Cabinet's decision was "that the Sport and Leisure Facility Strategy be confirmed".
The results of the promised survey were not reported to our elected councillors and one imagines that officers would not strive to maintain or improve the condition of the St David's pool during the following 6 years.
Who runs this council? Why does it cost us £1m in members allowances? What are they doing, apart from following officer's policies?