This petition was considered at the South of the Borough Neighbourhood on 12 September 2012 and the following comments forwarded on to the Place and Sustainability Committee on 20 September. • Members recognise and share the feelings of the local community about the pool where many local people have learnt to swim • However, there are now massive pressures on all Council budgets which means the Council will need to make savings in service areas such as care costs; therefore it is most unlikely that it can justify spending the substantial cost to refurbish the pool (particularly given the Council has no responsibility to do so), taking into account also the significant ongoing maintenance costs, and the Headteacher’s comments that pupils prefer St Paul’s school pool. • The Neighbourhood Manager has commented that “the Council’s adopted Planning Core Strategy identifies that South of the Borough will ‘Ensure the continued provision of community facilities by: - working to maintain and enhance access to community centres and libraries and explore opportunities for improved leisure facilities, including a new public swimming pool.’ The Neighbourhood Committee will therefore continue with its current policy to seek to work with private developers to provide a new facility within the area.” • An alternative ideal solution would be for a local community association trust to be formed which has the expertise and human resources to take over the maintenance and management of the pool and to seek external funding from eg Sport England to refurbish it. Such an association would need a strong governance structure and to provide a Business Plan based on a robust cost/benefit analysis. • A representative of the petitioners at the meeting has expressed interest in trying to draw up such a Business Plan and has requested that the school provides some past figures of running costs as soon as possible in order that proposals can be drawn up before the pool closes – Members supported this request. • Councillor Shiraz Mirza has offered to meet this representative to discuss his proposals. See full minute here - item 5 http://www.kingston.gov.uk/council_and_democracy/committeeminutes/moderngov.htm?mgl=ieListDocuments.aspx&CId=179&MId=6697&Ver=4 Listen to the recording from the meeting here http://www.kingston.gov.uk/information/your_council/chief_executive/democratic_services/audio_recordings_of_meetings/audio_recordings_-_south_of_the_borough_neighbourhood.htm The Place and Sustainability Committee on 20 September agreed that 1. the comments of the South of the Borough Neighbourhood Committee are noted; 2. officers co-ordinate the establishment of the ownership of the land/pool and in the light of this examine what options may then be available to resident groups to operate the pool; 3. liaison with residents on this and the provision of any support the Council can to offer in the preparation of a business case or grant bid to be in conjunction with the Chair of the South of the Borough Neighbourhood. See full minute here – item 10 http://www.kingston.gov.uk/council_and_democracy/committeeminutes/moderngov.htm?mgl=ieListDocuments.aspx&CId=491&MId=6720&Ver=4 Listen to the recording from the meeting here http://www.kingston.gov.uk/information/your_council/chief_executive/democratic_services/audio_recordings_of_meetings/audio_recordings_-_place_and_sustainability.htm