It is several weeks now since notice was given of the closure of the Leisure Centre swimming pool followed by its closure at the end of last month.
At the time, we were promised that urgent efforts would be made to try and find a way of keeping it open. To aid this effort, management accounts were requested by the town council to which Freedom Leisure (FL) agreed with the proviso that the council should first sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA).
We were perturbed to hear both last week and this week that these accounts had not yet appeared, however, it would seem that all the blame should not, after all, rest with Freedom Leisure because RTC seem to have spent the best part of a month trying to decide who should sign the NDA and in what capacity, a question that will not finally be decided and approved until a council meeting on Monday. After that, we will have to see how long it takes for the accounts to travel from the Leisure Centre all of half a mile to the town hall.
But this delay is not the only worrying aspect of the matter right now. We have already posed the thought that maybe FL wants to close the whole centre down and this concern has been increased this week with accounts of attendance at the gym dropping, the darkness over the pool giving an uninviting look to the building, new members being asked to pay, as part of the cost of joining, for use of a pool that is closed. Not only this but running water was cut off for several days last week to the showers and W.C.s, with staff told to bring buckets of water from the pool to flush. The pool itself has sprung a leak and a hose is now being used 24 hours a day every day to keep it full. Earlier this week there was no hot water for gym users to take a shower or even wash after their gym sessions.
This gives every sign of management that has given up and is prepared to run the facility down until it is forced to close.
If Rye is to retain a working and very popular leisure centre then both RDC and RTC need to get their act together and treat the situation as the emergency that it is. At the current rate of progress, there will be no leisure centre by the time any decisions are taken on how to run it.
The lacklustre performance of both councils relating to the pool is in sharp contrast to the ability of Rother and ESCC to raise yet more money to pour into the white elephant that is the De La Warr Pavilion in Bexhill. They have just received a grant from Arts Council England – part of an £8million package of awards to arts and heritage projects around the county.
One cannot help noticing that despite the town council claiming that conversations have been going on with Rother since this paper was advised about them a year or so ago, not a single penny or a single proposal for the future of out own piece of heritage, the Landgate, has yet been forthcoming. It sometimes makes one wonder what the purpose is – other than turning out on formal occasions in their full regalia – of our town council.
Image Credits: Rye News library , Juliet Duff .
How one must agree with John minter, one asks what is the point of a town council,that has no say on important matters in this town, and run Roughshod by Rother District Council, as for our elected councillors on Rother and East Sussex Council,when are the elections coming up next, and get people in,with their interests in this town,instead of these people who are only interested in what goes on at bexhill and Lewes.
I feel this is rather unfair criticism of Rye Town Council, who have been working flat out on trying to save the pool. I’m sure someone from the Council will reply officially, but I know that there have been a large number of meetings and copious correspondence about the issue ever since the closure was announced, and that these efforts are still ongoing on a daily basis.
The public might only witness the Town Council in person on formal, civic occasions such as Remembrance Sunday or Mayor-making (although all members of the public are allowed to attend Town Council Meetings, as advertised on the Council’s website) – but a tremendous amount of work is carried out daily, behind the scenes, by our very hard-working Town Clerk and his Deputy and staff, and by our Mayor and elected councillors.
The article is unfair to both Rye Town Council and Rother District Council, both of which are committed to getting the best possible outcome – reopening the pool – if that is economically feasible.
The article does not mention that Rother is making available environmental funds raised from the Community Infrastructure Levy to investigate and, if feasible, to improve the energy efficiency of the pool by insulation, solar panels etc. Of course that requires proper investigation of the scheme’s effectiveness and requires the consent of the County Council as freehold owner.
The future of the pool is something which has to be got right to make it sustainable in the long term. There is not going to be a quick fix.
I don’t understand why RDC are not to be commended then for attracting an Arts Council Grant for a Grade 1 Listed Building of which they are, on our behalf, custodians… That sounds like a pretty good thing to me, given it’s a world renowned building, incidentally brought into being by public subscription. Moreover, that grant saves local taxpayers money and ensures DLWP continues to be a world class cultural venue drawing-in millions of pounds to the local economy. And as much as we love our Land Gate, it’s surely comparing apples and oranges to equate it to the DLWP.
Finally on the DLWP, if it failed as a business, who would have to foot the bill for the maintenance of the building, of which RDC is freeholder? That’s right, we Council Tax payers. So careful what you wish for, John!
This ‘Bexhill v Rye’ narrative is getting a bit tired, as far as I’m concerned. Let’s not forget, with respect to our pool, it has probably only survived this long bcs Bexhill’s better-used leisure services have subsidised it.
Finally, ‘The Two Johns’ are content to relentlessly bash the local people serving RDC – and RTC too now. To answer John T’s question, the RDC elections are May 2023. Why don’t you stand, John?
Although it would be too rude for him to use I think the expression that Guy may be seeking is “Put up..or shut up”
It is only recently that Freedom Leisure (FL) confirmed that it would require a NDA before releasing its management accounts. A NDA was not drafted until 14 November. In accordance with its lawful decision making procedures, Rye Town Council (RTC) will be invited to decide its signatories at its meeting on 21 November. Rother District Council (RDC) will also be a party to the NDA and is considering who its signatories will be.
The Rye Pool and Sports Centre management contract is between RDC and FL. Although RTC has no control over FL, RTC is working with both FL and RDC in order to identify a sustainable future for both the Pool and Centre.
RDC did not consult with RTC about the proposed pool closure and RTC did not find out about it (along with the general public) until 12 October – just 19 days before closure.
The Landgate Tower is owned by RDC. RTC is in regular contact with RDC concerning its maintenance (short and longer term). RDC has been undertaking basic maintenance – however, even this requires approval from English Heritage because it is an Ancient Monument.
In order to help readers form their own view on the purpose of RTC, I briefly summarise some of the things it is involved with currently (in addition to the re-opening of the pool); letting a house to a Rye family at a discounted rent; co-ordinating the provision of 6 Warm Spaces this winter; the Skate Park; improving the appearance of the public domain (Town Steward Service); cutting verges on behalf of the County Council; providing visitor information; working on the provision of social/affordable housing at the former Tilling Green School; (in order to ensure the Town Model remains accessible) letting the Heritage Centre to a charity for £1 a year; letting the Freda Gardham Playing Field to the Rugby Club at a low rent; discussing regaining control of RDC’s open spaces in Rye; the retention of public conveniences and their refurbishment; the return of the allotments to RTC in 2023; helping parishioners in need, or experiencing hardship; subsidising the 326 community bus service.
Thanks Guy for your comment, I have no inclination to be the next mayor of Rye,or stand as a district Councillor,we have seen how a Rother parks employee, can overrule a town council,concerning the goal post on the middle Salts,against the councils wishes,as for standing as a district Councillor, no thanks, as we have seen,ask them a question and their silence is deafening, as for putting up or shutting up as Christopher puts it, I am entitled to my opinion, I just ask those elected, to take their eye off the mayor’s chair, and sort this town out.
I was teasing you, John, I admit, but seriously, you clearly know Rye better than many relative new-comers like me. You have a clear vision, expressed here often, as to how things should be – and I bet a lot of folks agree wholeheartedly with your perspectives. The only way any of us can bring change to our community or country is by participating, so why not consider giving it a whirl? Why should regular folks like you and I not think we have something to contribute beyond the pages of good old Rye News? The days of deference are long gone, and others aren’t so constrained by modesty, I can tell you, John!
This isn’t a partisan comment, at all, but just an historical allusion that springs to mind. Do you recall, when Keir Hardy arrived in the House of Commons in the early 1890s? To say the least, he was not member of the Victorian elite, having been working in the Lanarkshire coal mines at 10. He turned up in working man’s tweed or fustian, and the top hats asked sniffily if he’d ‘come to work on the roof’. ‘No,’ he’s recorded as saying, ‘I came to work on the floor.’ And didn’t he just…
So, I just think if any of us want change, and can spare the time, we should get involved in democracy at all levels – bcs if we don’t, someone else will speak for us. Or not at all… And could ‘ordinary’ people do any worse than some of those we’ve known of late?