Agenda item

Susan Charles, Chair, Warm Water Inclusive Swimming & Exercise (WWISE) Network addressed the Panel. A copy of the statement can be found on the Panel’s Minute Book and is also available online as an attachment to these minutes. A brief summary is set out below.

B&NES Council is currently in discussion with a number of large leisure organisations with a view to awarding a contract to run the B&NES Leisure facilities for the next 30 years, a contract which will include rebuilding the Keynsham Leisure Centre as well as remodelling or redeveloping Bath and other B&NES leisure facilities. This is a golden opportunity to ensure that warm water pools with fully accessible changing facilities that truly meet the needs of disabled children & young people are included in these development plans.

Currently there is extremely limited provision for children & young people who need fully accessible warm water pools to go swimming. With such pools in local leisure centres, disabled children who have learnt to swim in special schools or at specialised swimming lessons would be able to go swimming regularly with family & friends in an inclusive recreational environment, which would help them to remain fit & active and maintain a healthy body weight.

We are looking for your support to ensure that any contract for new & redeveloped leisure facilities includes:

·  Warm water pools with water at 32°C which are accessible for them and suitable for their needs both now & when they are older (ie deep enough & large enough for them to be able to swim).

·  Furthermore that they will have changing facilities with hoists & changing beds so they are suitable for everyone whatever their level of disability and finally that

·  They will be available for them to use on a regular basis and at an affordable price

Only then will they be able to participate in exercise and swimming on an equal basis to their able-bodied peers.

Alexander Jones- Grech, Bath Swim Therapy addressed the Panel. A copy of the statement can be found on the Panel’s Minute Book and is also available online as an attachment to these minutes. A brief summary is set out below.

My name is Alexander, I am 10 Years old.  I was born with a painful form of dwarfism that affects my bones and joints.  Most of the time, I have to move around in my wheelchair.

I wanted to learn to swim with my friends at our local pool but the water was too cold and made my legs really hurt.

I started to go to the Get Wet Set swimming lessons in the hydrotherapy pool at Three Ways School, the water was nice and warm and made my joints less achy, it took a long time but I also learnt to swim really well.

I can use the learner pool at Longwell Green, Bristol but I’m 10 now and usually it’s filled with babies and much younger children. In a couple of years I won’t even be able to swim there.

When I’m in the water I’m like a fish, I’m the same as everyone else in the water. It’s the only proper exercise I get. I would love to be able to swim in a normal pool like my friends do.

I hate to think that after trying so hard to learn to swim that I won’t be able to swim anymore when I’m a man, just because the water is not a little bit warmer.

Susan Charles read out a quote on behalf of Simeon Wakely aged 17 who was unable to attend the meeting. He wished to notify the Panel that he fully supports the need for warm water pools that are accessible for all ages.

The Chair also gave permission for Susan Charles to read a statement on behalf of Sheila Hawken who was unable to attend the meeting. Sheila asked for these statements / requests to also be linked to the on-going Special Educational Needs & Disability (SEND) Reform work and asked for it to be factored in when schools and services are drawing up their SEND arrangements / offers.

She also wished to highlight the fact that when young people leave school it is hard to obtain provision for the use of a warm water pool. She added that young people were more likely to maximise their potential the more fit and healthy they were.

She requested that provision of warm water pools be raised during negotiations as part of the procurement process for the new leisure contract.

Councillor Liz Hardman asked what provision was there to use warm water pools in our public leisure centres.

Susan Charles replied that she was not aware of any in B&NES that had both the appropriate access to use the facilities as well as having a warm water pool.

The Chair commented that she was aware of the problem that existed locally. She then read out the following statement on behalf of the Council.

The Council is looking at a range of options – including accessible teaching pools – as it seeks to modernise its leisure facilities, this is supported by the ‘Fit for Life’ Strategy.

The Council and the CCG will be working closely to ensure that the new leisure contract provides the best possible service for local people and supports them to live healthy lifestyles. 

It is important to clarify that the provision of warm water swimming facilities is not the same as the provision of hydrotherapy services which is a specialist health service provided from appropriately equipped, specialist facilities and funded by the CCG. 

The Council’s objective is to provide accessible leisure facilities, rather than specialist health services, for which there is advice and guidance on best practice produced by Sport England in their ‘Accessible Sports Facilities Design Guidance Note. (http://www.sportengland.org/media/30246/Accessible-Sports-Facilities-2010.pdf)

The Council appreciates comments from the public as it continues to develop plans for delivering these options through dialogue with potential contractors as part of the procurement process for the new leisure contract.  This contract will be awarded in January 2015, with a contract start date of July 2015.

She added that the appropriate officers and Members of the Cabinet would be sent a copy of the minutes of this meeting. On behalf of the Panel she also thanked the speakers for attending.