A heart attack survivor has made an emotional plea to save Broxburn swimming pool from closure.
Joyce Cameron told councillors on West Lothian’s Executive that regular exercise at the pool had improved her health and was vital to the health and well-being of local people.
Joyce spoke to councillors before the meeting went into closed session on Tuesday afternoon to discuss the future of Broxburn, and pools at Armadale and Livingston.
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She had earlier organised a meeting attended by more than 100 people in the town and collected a petition of 1,000 signatures to save the pool.
Joyce told councillors she had been “distressed” by the news the pool could close.
The pensioner said: “The whole community uses the pool. I was a GP referral to use the pool. I had a heart attack and I had to have surgery to fix my heart so I know from a very personal experience going swimming has actually helped me to regain my heart function by 10%. I was quite poorly at the time.”
She said many of the people who regularly used the pool couldn’t travel to Winchburgh within 15 minutes, as claimed by West Lothian Leisure, because there is no bus and many do not drive. The closure of Livingston would also remove the other nearest option for swimming.
Joyce said many of the older pool users - including a 90 year old regular swimmer - lived on their own and relied on the pool as a means of tackling social isolation.
“The pool is vital in people’s lives and people depend on it,” she said.
However Tuesday’s meeting closed with little more than assurances that alternative operators would be sought for the pool.
Councillor Janet Campbell, SNP group leader, had argued that the debate should be held in public because, given there were no alternative options to closure presented: “there is no longer any commercial sensitivity requiring this meeting to be held in secret. In fact it's quite the opposite.
She added: "It is imperative potential operators now know we are inviting them to take part. Any delay in this is simply sabotaging the prospect of the successful transfer of these facilities.”
All three pools are set to close in August. Councillor Campbell, a Broxburn councillor, argued for the pools to be kept open until the end of the year through funding from council cash reserves. This was rejected in favour of Labour’s motion to continue to seek partnerships and invite offers from potential operators.
The time frame for that has been reduced to two days, with the council’s deadline currently set at Friday.
After the meeting Councillor Campbell told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: “The Labour Party in West Lothian has today cast three swimming pools adrift.
“We heard from the deputation with regards to Broxburn Pool – the number of people who receive GP referrals in Broxburn is considerable – and likely to grow as the population ages.”
She added: “In addition – immediately prior to this item we discussed the paucity of the bus service north / south in West Lothian, particularly between Winchburgh via Broxburn to Livingston. Winchburgh has been identified as the option for Broxburn users. As the deputation made clear – due to the lamentable lack of a bus service this is very definitely not a viable option for Broxburn pool users.
Councillor Campbell said: [Labour's council leader] “Lawrence Fitzpatrick finished the meeting by saying this was a “good result” for Howden Park Centre. It undoubtedly is – but it is the worst possible outcome for Broxburn and Armadale and also leaves the largest town in West Lothian without a leisure pool.
Labour maintained the fight to retain the pools would go on. Speaking after the meeting Councillor Kirsteen Sullivan, depute Labour group and council leader said: “No stone will be left unturned to look at alternative options. We are all extremely saddened and disappointed that WLL are in this position.
“I believe it is worth exploring that, in the Spring budget earlier this year, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced funding of £63 million to support swimming pools remaining open in England. Around £70 million of Barnett consequentials will go to the Scottish Government in 2023/24 and, to date, no funding has been provided by the Scottish Government to specifically support swimming pools in Scotland.
"In light of the recent request from West Lothian Leisure, and given the gravity of the situation, with the needs of the community and jobs at stake, we have written to the Cabinet Minister requesting funding support.”
The meeting heard that the council’s Chief Executive had received an acknowledgement to that letter, but nothing more from the Scottish Government.
Interested parties are invited to register their interest in the pools by Friday 26 May 2023 online at: https://www.westlothian.gov.uk/interest
Once that date has passed, officers will review all registered interests. Where a viable expression of interest has been received, officers will engage with relevant representatives to explore the interest further and discuss related matters in more detail.
Suitable parties will then be invited to prepare and submit updated proposals for consideration, and will be given suitable time to complete this process.
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