Comments on: The Future Management of Cambridge’s Swimming Pools http://www.rtaylor.co.uk/management-of-cambridges-swimming-pools.html Cambridge, United Kingdom. Fri, 10 Sep 2010 09:02:39 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7 hourly 1 By: Richard http://www.rtaylor.co.uk/management-of-cambridges-swimming-pools.html#comment-5040 Richard Thu, 08 Jan 2009 14:03:21 +0000 http://www.rtaylor.co.uk/?p=236#comment-5040 <a href="http://www.cambridge.gov.uk/public/councillors/agenda/2009/0115cs/15.pdf" rel="nofollow">The council have now made the non-confidential element of their report public</a>. The council have now made the non-confidential element of their report public.

]]> By: Richard http://www.rtaylor.co.uk/management-of-cambridges-swimming-pools.html#comment-5036 Richard Thu, 08 Jan 2009 02:01:36 +0000 http://www.rtaylor.co.uk/?p=236#comment-5036 I think the dive coach commenting above makes a good point; public access to the diving boards ought be restored. It would have to be only at specific set times due to the fact the dive pool is more often than not being used for other purposes with its floor raised to create a shallow pool. When the flume is in operation it is closely supervised, why can't the diving boards operate in a similar way? My local pool when I was growing up had publicly accessible high diving boards. I think it might attract a new group of people into the pool. Also I have had some further thoughts on the new contract. If the council does hire consultants to advise on ways to improve the efficiency of the pools' heating, will there be something in the contract to enable the council to get the contractor to act on it. Lastly the student discount scheme which requires students to buy an upgraded leisure card is convoluted and confusing. I regularly, particularly in October, see students asking if there's a student discount and getting utterly baffling replies. I've also overheard receptionists tell Cambridge University students that as they aren't really residents in Cambridge, or don't pay council tax, and are therefore not entitled to the discounts. Many students would have difficulty with the proof of residency requirements which are (Drivers licence, Utilities Bill, Council tax statement), additionally many students also do not have an NUS card which is the required form of proof of student status. I think the dive coach commenting above makes a good point; public access to the diving boards ought be restored. It would have to be only at specific set times due to the fact the dive pool is more often than not being used for other purposes with its floor raised to create a shallow pool. When the flume is in operation it is closely supervised, why can’t the diving boards operate in a similar way? My local pool when I was growing up had publicly accessible high diving boards. I think it might attract a new group of people into the pool.

Also I have had some further thoughts on the new contract. If the council does hire consultants to advise on ways to improve the efficiency of the pools’ heating, will there be something in the contract to enable the council to get the contractor to act on it.

Lastly the student discount scheme which requires students to buy an upgraded leisure card is convoluted and confusing. I regularly, particularly in October, see students asking if there’s a student discount and getting utterly baffling replies. I’ve also overheard receptionists tell Cambridge University students that as they aren’t really residents in Cambridge, or don’t pay council tax, and are therefore not entitled to the discounts. Many students would have difficulty with the proof of residency requirements which are (Drivers licence, Utilities Bill, Council tax statement), additionally many students also do not have an NUS card which is the required form of proof of student status.

]]> By: Anne Garvey http://www.rtaylor.co.uk/management-of-cambridges-swimming-pools.html#comment-5023 Anne Garvey Wed, 07 Jan 2009 11:13:04 +0000 http://www.rtaylor.co.uk/?p=236#comment-5023 And there was the scandal of the snack machine packed with fattening chocolate and crispy snacks. The place is going downhill whilst the Council propose to lavish 4.4.million on fiddling about with details on Jesus Green. And there was the scandal of the snack machine packed with fattening chocolate and crispy snacks.

The place is going downhill whilst the Council propose to lavish 4.4.million on fiddling about with details on Jesus Green.

]]> By: Anne Garvey http://www.rtaylor.co.uk/management-of-cambridges-swimming-pools.html#comment-5022 Anne Garvey Wed, 07 Jan 2009 11:11:24 +0000 http://www.rtaylor.co.uk/?p=236#comment-5022 Can we factor in the dismal display at Jesus Green pool all summer. At its nadir in late summer, the lavatories were not working, the showers busted, and most of all the pool staffed by don't carish no-hopers who chatted with their backs to the swimmers who struggled to swim lanes in , unbelievably, one single lane with three quarters of the pool roped off 'for staff shortages' Anyone could do better than that.! Can we factor in the dismal display at Jesus Green pool all summer. At its nadir in late summer, the lavatories were not working, the showers busted, and most of all the pool staffed by don’t carish no-hopers who chatted with their backs to the swimmers who struggled to swim lanes in , unbelievably, one single lane with three quarters of the pool roped off ‘for staff shortages’

Anyone could do better than that.!

]]> By: Richard http://www.rtaylor.co.uk/management-of-cambridges-swimming-pools.html#comment-5013 Richard Tue, 06 Jan 2009 23:39:22 +0000 http://www.rtaylor.co.uk/?p=236#comment-5013 An <a href="http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/cn_news_cambridge/DisplayArticle.asp?ID=378475" rel="nofollow">article in the Cambridge News</a> implies someone there has seen the secret report (or a councillor has leaked its content) as it refers to officer's recommendations being for councillors to extend the SLM contract. I have been told a public report will be produced, but it has not yet been released via the Council's website. An article in the Cambridge News implies someone there has seen the secret report (or a councillor has leaked its content) as it refers to officer’s recommendations being for councillors to extend the SLM contract.

I have been told a public report will be produced, but it has not yet been released via the Council’s website.

]]> By: John Whitby http://www.rtaylor.co.uk/management-of-cambridges-swimming-pools.html#comment-5005 John Whitby Tue, 06 Jan 2009 09:59:11 +0000 http://www.rtaylor.co.uk/?p=236#comment-5005 INteresting article. The subject of private management of council leisure facilities is a whole can of worms! In many ways there is no major change between municipal manageent and private management companies, at the end of the day it is actually down to the individuals managing each site. Get a good manager and you get a good facility (normally), the opposite also applies of course! I called Parkside in 2006 when I was asked to comment on Look East News about kids tombstoning from St Neots Town Bridge. Kowing there is a good diving facility at Parkside I called and asked about public access to be told that, on taking over SLM had done a risk assesment and decided it was far to dangerous to allow the public on to the diving boards! So, rather than manage the risk (and manage the facility) they closed the diving boards to public use. This of course is the one facility that will temp youths into a swimming pool, it also reduces bad behaviour by actually offering fun! The best answer is of cours to go back to public ownership and management, SLM are not doing it for the benefit of Cambridge, they are there to make a profit, if they can make money from the contract, why can't the council run it and at the very least reduce the amount they are currently paying? Redbridge identified about £200,000. of savings by bringing pool and leisure management back within the council remit by setting up a Trust to manage the facilities. INteresting article. The subject of private management of council leisure facilities is a whole can of worms!
In many ways there is no major change between municipal manageent and private management companies, at the end of the day it is actually down to the individuals managing each site. Get a good manager and you get a good facility (normally), the opposite also applies of course!
I called Parkside in 2006 when I was asked to comment on Look East News about kids tombstoning from St Neots Town Bridge. Kowing there is a good diving facility at Parkside I called and asked about public access to be told that, on taking over SLM had done a risk assesment and decided it was far to dangerous to allow the public on to the diving boards! So, rather than manage the risk (and manage the facility) they closed the diving boards to public use. This of course is the one facility that will temp youths into a swimming pool, it also reduces bad behaviour by actually offering fun!
The best answer is of cours to go back to public ownership and management, SLM are not doing it for the benefit of Cambridge, they are there to make a profit, if they can make money from the contract, why can’t the council run it and at the very least reduce the amount they are currently paying?
Redbridge identified about £200,000. of savings by bringing pool and leisure management back within the council remit by setting up a Trust to manage the facilities.

]]> By: Geoff Jones http://www.rtaylor.co.uk/management-of-cambridges-swimming-pools.html#comment-4984 Geoff Jones Mon, 05 Jan 2009 10:20:13 +0000 http://www.rtaylor.co.uk/?p=236#comment-4984 Thank you for letting me know about this, there are many issues that need to be raised. Maybe the council or us should be conducting a public survey about the pools and their management. The Jesus Green shower saga leaps to mind plus the totally disgusting state of Parkside, thinking of the massive corrosion in the supporting columns especially. I'm away till the 30th Jan but maybe Terry Gorman and others will be interested in attending the meetings. btw Your Name /Email boxes are illegible white on yellow is not a good combination :-) Thank you for letting me know about this, there are many issues that need to be raised. Maybe the council or us should be conducting a public survey about the pools and their management.
The Jesus Green shower saga leaps to mind plus the totally disgusting state of Parkside, thinking of the massive corrosion in the supporting columns especially.
I’m away till the 30th Jan but maybe Terry Gorman and others will be interested in attending the meetings.
btw Your Name /Email boxes are illegible white on yellow is not a good combination :-)

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