Swimming Pool incident

Apparently this afternoon there was an incident at the Swimming Pool which, thankfully, turned out to be a false alarm. Fire and Ambulance crews were in attendance to deal with the evacuation of the pool. The cause of the incident was due to an alarm which measures the amount of ozone in the pool being triggered.

Nairn Swimming Pool soon to be at 'arms length' ?

The P&J reports:

'Highland councillors will this week be asked to approve the next step in a process which could see the area’s culture and leisure facilities being run by a new charitable organisation.
The local authority is looking at outsourcing about £20million of services, including museums, swimming pools, libraries and community centres.'

There would be bonuses if this goes ahead. The Council would set up a company with charitable status that could avoid rates and qualify for funding that the council would be unable to access. What would happen however if that company then decided at some point in the future to close some pools? Would any potential discussion with the community also be at 'arms length'? Read the full article on the P&J here. Do we lose democratic accountability in the management of culture and leisure facilities?

Library, swimming pool and much, much more to be outsourced?

Looks like the whole Culture & Leisure show could be leaving Glenurquhart Road for pastures (outsourced) new. Here's a press release from the Highland Council:

'Highland Councillors are being asked to agree the principle of establishing an arms-length organisation to deliver all activity concerning its leisure and cultural services. The services involved are swimming pools, leisure centres, sports activity, arts and culture, heritage and museums, community centres, libraries, archives, youth work and adult learning. The Education Culture and Sport Committee will consider a report on Thursday 5 August which recommends the principle of outsourcing all of the Council’s leisure and cultural services. Already 17 of Scotland’s 32 councils have gone down the route of managing, usually sports facilities through this mechanism.
Feedback from recent public budget consultations backs up the Council Administration’s view savings achieved by doing this could safeguard the maximum number of services during the forthcoming period of financial cutbacks. Public responses have told the Council that it is critical that services continue to be run efficiently and that there is no significant increase in prices.
In his report to the committee, Hugh Fraser, Director of Education Culture and Sport, said the financial advantages of outsourcing are primarily through savings achieved where an arms-length organisation with charitable status qualifies for non-domestic rates relief. Some increased opportunities to raise funds exist and a pattern of reduced costs is the norm. Savings of £700,000 could be possible. He said: “The aim of establishing a single organisation covering all leisure and cultural activity currently run by the Council would be to provide high quality services to the public whilst at the same time making savings on running costs as a result of the charitable status of an arms length organisation. Speed is therefore of the essence. Key decisions are required over the next few months on a range of detailed issues. The aim would be for transfer to happen as early into the financial year 2011/12 as possible” The Committee is being recommended to establish a project board, comprising key members of the senior management team, to lead progress on developing the ALO. Early work would be the preparation of a Service Level Agreement between the Council and the new organisation; the range of buildings and assets to be leased to or managed by the ALO; proposed staffing transfers; central support; capital funding and building and grounds maintenance arrangements.'

Might be one way forward but where would you go if you had a complaint about any of the services provided? Would there be any need for any more involvement from Councillors? The shape or the brave new credit-crunched world in the Highlands is looming on the horizon.

Nairn pool proposed close-down - BBC Reporting Scotland 20th June2010

'Yestosh' has kindly posted the relevant piece on Youtube.

Cuts and Swimming Pool issues in Easter Ross

Nairn has its ward forum meeting to discuss the proposed budget cuts on the 30th of this month. It was the turn of Easter Ross on Thursday night. Here's some comment from a Press and Journal article:

'During the meeting, Fiona Thorburn, of Invergordon, said all the pools already have huge waiting lists for people wanting to learn to swim.
She said it would be irresponsible to close any of the local pools as children might then resort to going to local rivers and trying to learn by themselves.
Sally Cartwright, of Alness, said it was the people of Alness who raised the funds to make the pool larger than originally planned. She said: “Morally you can’t close it.” ' Full article here.

It seems over 200 people made their way to the Ardross hall, here in Nairn perhaps we'll have a similar turn-out?

Traffic Jam at Nairn Leisure

The new equipment for the fun hours at Nairn Swimming Pool. Let's hope the fun continues for many years to come!

700 letters of objection to the plan to close Nairn Swimming Pool

Save Nairn Swimming Pool activist Loreine Thomson has now collected more than 700 letters of objection to the Pool Closure Plan. She told the Gurn:

'I have received almost 700 letters of objection regarding the swimming pool with more coming in each day. Almost 35% of the objectors live outside the town - Forres, Dyke, Cawdor, Piperhill, Culloden, Balloch, Elgin, Geddes etc. - the need for our Pool impacts on a very wide community catchment area and on all ages.

Our Swimming Club is one of the best nationally and regularly contributes swimmers to our national teams. If the Pool closes, Scotland will lose potential swimmers for the Commonweath Games in 2014. The Pools at Culloden and Inverness are not at all suitable for the Swimming clubs.

Highland Council promote 'a Healthier Highlands' as part of the Highland wide Local Development Plan - are they setting aside this goal even before the Plan has passed the first stage! Come on Highland Council stand by what you write, keep Nairn Swimming Pool open.'

Swimming Pool - Rosemary Young speaking on Tuesday night

Councillor Rosemary Young of the West CC, spoke to the meeting in the Courthouse of her fear that along with the swimming pool we would loose the other facilities on the Links run by the Leisure Centre staff:

A lot of the front, the Links, the Paddling Pool, the heart of Nairn that bring tourists here If you went down there a couple of weeks back when the sun was out there were people everywhere. Daytrippers enjoying it and looking forward to the paddling pool being open. If you rip that out of Nairn, the heart will go. Please listen to us. You can get money out of Highland Council. Just get rid of those layers that have accumulated over the last 20 years – rip these out and fix that budget.’

Applause followed Rosemary’s statement. Well said Rosemary, the Swimming Pool staff take care of a few other things that are essential for Nairn's role as a seaside town!

Swimming Pool discussion at Ward Forum

We continue with a few statements made by Highland Councillor Graham Marsden on Tuesday night....

'What we want you people to do is to reinforce just exactly what you have been saying so that we can then bring all this forward, because while obviously we know that, the reality is that I didn’t know how many groups actually used the pool until this came up. It is interesting, I was speaking to a number of people recently and they were saying ‘hey we must save the pool’. Then I said, ‘when were you last in it and on particular person said, ‘well the last time my kids went to swimming lessons – some years ago.’ '

‘The point I’m making really is what we need to do between now and the end of the consultation, which is June 30^th is amass all this information, then we can make the case as local councillors for it to be retained because I think we’re all aboard with regard to that.’

'We’re convinced. The problem is that we have to convince others.’

‘The budget doesn’t come out until early next year, possibly February. So the consultation finishes, the official consultation finishes at the end of June but from then on there are other contributions and they can still be accepted up to September/October time. I’ve spoken to the budget leader about this and that’s the reassurance that I’ve been given.'

Graham and Sandy were outlining the consultation process and how the public could help by submitting their information to support the case that Nairn Councillors would present. We have to wait until February until we find out if Nairn Pool is to survive. Contrast Nairn's consultation with that of Inverness however. An Inverness councillor is claiming that the six community centres in the Highland Capital are now safe from the cuts. It seems the consultation process can be by-passed in Inverness but not in Nairn! Here's an extract from yesterday's P&J:

'Highland Council had considered shutting down up to four of the centres to save £133,000 a year on staff and running costs.
Those in the frame had been the Spectrum Centre, Merkinch Centre, James Cameron Centre, Hilton community centre, Raigmore community centre and the Cameron Club youth centre.
Speaking after lobbying colleagues at separate meetings of the Independents and ruling administration yesterday, Inverness Central councillor Peter Corbett said he had been delighted with the backing of other councillors to exclude the facilities from any hit-list as part of a continuing public consultation on budget possibilities.'

Full Press and Journal report here

Swimming Pool Consultation and the cuts - What Cllr Graham Vine had to say at the Ward Forum

Continuing our report of events at the Nairn Ward Forum on Wednesday evening…

Graham Vine was the next to ask Nairn’s four Highland Councillors a question. He expanded onto the modus operandi of the cuts process in general:

‘Could I ask our elected members. We were invited to participate in a consultation. How are we supposed to be able to understand all those massive big budget items in Highland Council? You are our elected members whose duty is to scrutinise the activities of the Highland Council officers on our behalf. We should look to you to tell us how we can save money, where we can save money, because you should understand those budgets. All (didn’t get the next few words here) a figure of two or three hundred million pounds for this that or the other. We don’t know if that’s going on front-line services or whether half of it is frittered away on consultants or liaison managers or whatever. You’re the guys that should be telling us what you’re going…’

Graham was then interrupted by Liz.

‘Thank you for this Graham,’ she said. ‘That was exactly the point my group made about the consultation process. That it is up to elected members to make the choices. There wasn’t enough information for the public to understand it. If they decided against one thing what would they actually have as something else. So you’re right. (didn’t get Liz’s next sentence unfortunately)

‘Thank you,’ said Graham.

Sandy then rejoined the debate ‘Obviously with the consultation you can ask the very question of the Director of Finance. This is a six,seven hundred million pound business. You know, this is a very complex budget process. We’re going through a consultation process of fifteen meetings in the next month. We’re going through the same in all wards in the Highlands. I’m really pleased with the meeting tonight.’

The meeting continued…

Under threat Nairn Swimming Pool so popular it has to turn youngsters away!

News posted on the Save Nairn Swimming Pool Facebook pages by Beth:

'Last night a new fun session was introduced to the pool E-Mails sent out to the local schools the respons last night to the new equipment was overwhelming.
Sadly the staff had to refuse entry to the pool to about thirty to forty children as they had reached there maximum load for the pool of seventy five people.
This goes to show small changes can reap rewards.'

'Council to spend £70,000 on repairs to pool it may close' - P&J

See this post for information from last night's ward forum meeting (more soon) concerning the Pool. Here's a snippet from today's P&J however:

'Nairn Provost, SNP councillor Liz MacDonald, who is currently responding to scores of letters from worried constituents, said: “I can’t see Nairn pool closing, to be quite frank. Do you not think it’s a bit of a red herring on the part of the administration?

“They’re putting out this consultation on the budget, and I think they’re wanting to get people stirred up about it. It’s very emotive. I think that they’re manipulating the whole situation to be honest.” She added: “They should definitely spend this on the pool because it’s needed in Nairn.”

Who knows Liz, do Highland Councillors even really know what's going on here? Are we now in a period of consultation chaos? More information from last night's meeting soon, in the meantime here's the P&J article: Money already set aside in budget for necessary work on tiling at Nairn leisure facility

What an agenda - what a night! The Swimming Pool element (part 1)

The Swimming Pool element of the evening’s Ward Forum proceedings began with a question from the Nairn Synchronised Swimming Club. They asked if if the Highland Council had considered that there were two thriving national competitive clubs whose existence would be threatened if the Pool was closed.

Provost Liz replied: ‘I think I will ask the Convenor to answer the question as it was the administration that put forward the budget consultation and I was actually opposed to it at Highland Council.’

And so it was left to Sandy to do the honours for the regime. He began by apologising to the youngsters present for having to sit through the meeting up to that point, ‘ the massive debate’ as he put it. He said how he had been so impressed on Sunday by the Syncro Club. It emerged the he and Laurie had taken up an invitation to see the club performing. ‘It really meant a lot to me,’ said the Convenor of Highland Council. Sandy felt it had been a constructive meeting with the club on Sunday, he went on to explain how he had to attend another 15 ward forum meetings over the next 2 to 3 weeks, finishing up in Nairn on the 30^th of June which he said would be an opportunity to quiz the Chief Executive, the Budget Leader and the Director of Finance. He admitted that there were tremendous problems with the budget. He explained that Nairn Swimming was put on (the list) was because of a criteria of distances going from one pool to another. He said that the youngsters turning up here tonight meant a lot. He urged the members of the public present to keep the letters coming as that was very important, he explained how they were compiling a portfolio of all the letters coming forward. Sandy then said that he would be informing the Chief Executive first thing in the morning of the evening’s attendance. He told everyone, ’I am, as Convenor, very aware of the situation in Nairn. We will be back here on the 30^th of June to finalise the consultation.’

There was an immediate response from a member of the public (sorry madam forgotten your name). This lady wanted to know why Nairn wasn’t getting (in the budget) what Inverness was getting. She though Nairn was getting less and less and wanted to know why the Chief Executive couldn’t take a cut in pay and give it to the swimming Pool. ‘He gets more than the First Minister,’ she proclaimed.

‘That’s a very good question,’ replied Sandy Park. Obviously demands emerging that the Glenurquhart Road mandarins take a big hit are getting through to oor Sandy!

The floor was still with the first contributor however and she went on to describe how Nairn’s pool was a lot better and cleaner than the Aquadome and how people came from Inverness and Forres to swim here. ‘And from Elgin too,’ came an additional comment from the public benches. Continuing the first contributor asked where kids would go. ‘It’s a holiday town as well,’ she said.’ Putting a bridge over Nairn and forgetting about it. Taking Nairn off the map. Putting it all in the bin.’ She looked around the room and asked: ‘Is everyone in agreence with me?’

The applause was self-explanatory.

More from the Ward Forum Swimming Pool debate soon.

Nairnshire Ward Forum - Wednesday night 7-9.00 p.m. the Courthouse

Two items on the agenda that will be of interest to Gurnites:

4. Community Council Consultation (Louise Clark) This consultation is a chance to get Nairn a better deal by asking for a single Community Council - i.e. A Royal Burgh of Nairn Community Council.

7. Open Question and Answer Session
7.1 Question from Nairn Synchronised Swimming Club re Nairn Swimming Pool - we'll see if any debate is allowed on this subject.

See the full agenda here

2,000+ 'Save Nairn Swimming Pool' Facebook group just keeps growing!

The anger out there hasn't gone away. The Facebook group just keeps growing and tonight stands at a membership of 2,010 and messages and information are still being posted. There's an interesting message from Sharon who worked at Nairn Pool for six years, she feels that more time should be given over to the general public in the pool timetable. Here's some of what she has to say:

'Nairn has become a teaching pool:- school swimming lessons every morning Monday to Friday, after school lessons Monday to Thursday 3pm til 5 or 6pm. Yes our children need to be taught to swim, as we in Nairn are surrounded by water. But how much of the timetabling of our pool is dedicated to public swimming? Not a great deal is the answer. We the public need to make it known that we want and need more general public time. '

To read the rest of Sharon's thoughts on the matter and to see the latest messages head over to 'Save Nairn Swimming Pool'

Under-threat Nairn swimming pool to close for repairs

The Press and Journal's angle on the forthcoming repairs to Nairn Swimming Pool:

'NAIRN swimming pool, which could face the axe as part of Highland Council budget cuts, is to close in the coming weeks – for essential repairs.
The council confirmed yesterday that the venue will close temporarily before the end of the current school term to allow the work to be carried out.
Replacement wall cladding will be fitted in the pool hall, cutting short swimming lessons for local school pupils who use the facility.
The pool is the subject of several local campaigns which were sparked by its inclusion in a long list of council facilities which could close permanently to help the authority balance its books over the next three years.
The various petitions have had the support of hundreds of pool users from Nairn and beyond.'

More on the P&J site.

Tory Support for Nairn Swimming Pool

Tory candidate Jim Ferguson writes on his blog:

'I was saddened to hear that Highland Council were contemplating closure of Nairn Swimming Pool due to budget cuts.
It is a well run pool with a long history of serving the people of Nairn and I was saddened to see this news in the press.
Nairn swimming pool is a well loved, popular, social venue and brings great enjoyment to not only the people of the town, but the surrounding area too.
I learned to swim in Nairn Swimming pool and so did my children and I would be bitterly disappointed if it closed.'

Read more on Jim Ferguson's blog

Pool Campaign: NDASC hope to speak at Ward Forum Meeting!

'Nairn Swimming Pool Closing - not if we have anything to do with it,' reads a post title on the Nairn District Amateur Swimming Clubs news webpage. They go on to state:

' To help our campaign please sign local petitions and please come along to the Ward Forum Meeting at 7pm in Nairn Court House on Wednesday 28th April. Wear your NDASC sweatshirts! It promises to be a busy meeting but our support will be recognised and we have requested the opportunity to speak to the meeting about the Club and the pool. Your support will be greatly appreciated. We would really like all swimmers and parents to come along.'

You can visit the NDASC website here. One wonders if the Courthouse will be able to accomodate everyone. Will a bigger venue be necessary as the protesters exercise their right to speak to the Ward Forum?

'Under threat pool has a tourism spin-off'

A letter from a Forres resident in support of the Save the Narin Swimming Pool campaign has appeared in the Inverness Courier. Read JR Moir's letter to the Courier here.

Nairn Swimming Pool - Letter from SNP candidate to constituents

This in from a Fishertown Gurnite, click on the picture to enlarge. Please confine any comments to the Swimming Pool issue and the Highland Council cuts in general please.