A GROUP, set up to negotiate changes to Westbury’s leisure facilities, say they are becoming increasingly frustrated by the lack of communication from Wiltshire Council.
In an open letter sent to the leader of Wiltshire Council, Jane Scott, the Westbury Leisure Alliance say, after three months of waiting for a reply, that it seems Westbury and the Westbury Leisure Alliance don’t seem to matter to Wiltshire Council.
At the start of 2010, local people formed a group, Save Westbury Pool, after Wiltshire Council stated that there are too many swimming pools in west Wiltshire and some may have to close. Thousands of people in Westbury signed petitions to save the pool and demonstrated their support at public meetings.
Wiltshire Council recommended that both the swimming pool and Leighton Recreation Centre be managed by the local community using volunteers, or run the risk of closing. Following consultation with Westbury Town Council, the Save Westbury Pool Group was disbanded, and a new Westbury Leisure Alliance (WLA) was formed in September, with the aim of preserving Westbury’s leisure facilities.
An email letter from the WLA was sent to Wiltshire Council prior to a meeting to discuss the Leisure Review, which Wiltshire Council said they did not receive. Following that meeting, a letter from Wiltshire councillor Stuart Wheeler stated, “The council will not actively be looking for alternative management for the two facilities in Westbury whilst the investigations into campus opportunities are carried out; however we are happy to continue discussions with those groups who have come forward and expressed an interest. Our approach is intended to retain community involvement in the campus development project as local input is critical to the success.
“I will arrange for relevant officers to make contact with you regarding a meeting in the New Year where we can discuss this further.”
No response
When no further contact was made, Neil Tribick, secretary of WLA sent an email to cllr Wheeler on 17th January, asking for a meeting with the group.
No response was given to that email.
Two members of WLA then attended the Westbury Area Board on 3rd February where they expressed the group’s concerns about the future of Westbury’s leisure facilities and their strong concern that Wiltshire Council seemed to be ignoring the Westbury group.
Cabinet member, cllr Lionel Grundy, who was speaking at the meeting on another topic, said he would email cllr Wheeler the next morning and that he was sure cllr Wheeler would be in touch.
Nothing heard
Nothing has been heard from Wiltshire Council since.
In his open letter to Jane Scott, leader of Wiltshire Council, Neil Hawker, chairman of WLA says, “Westbury residents and members of the group set up to liaise with Wiltshire Council on leisure issues are being deafened by the roaring silence of communication from councillors and council officers.
“Many people in the Westbury community are asking what is happening and saying that they have heard nothing from WLA, but we can say nothing to them because Wiltshire Council is saying nothing to us. The assertion that the council still wishes to continue discussions with those groups who have come forward and expressed an interest, is obviously totally untrue, at least in the case of Westbury and the WLA.
“Can we please ask you and your fellow councillors and officers to communicate with us? You have stated that the council needs the support of the local community; we have tried on a number of occasions to make progress with you, but as things stand the feeling locally is that the council motto ought to read ‘Wiltshire Council – where some people matter, but obviously not all.’”
