The Issues
Closing Noel Street Leisure Centre would be a tragedy, not just for its regular customers but for the whole community.Children
How children behave when young sets the pattern for the rest of their life. Bored children get involved in crime and anti-social behaviour. Children without access to opportunities for exercise become obese and develop into unhealthy adults. Local leisure centres provide opportunities for children to establish good patterns which they can carry into adult life.Adults
Many people find it hard to fit time for exercise into busy schedules. Local facilities mean less travel time, making exercise more accessible. There has been much press attention to obesity and unhealthy lifestyles and the government is encouraging people to take more exercise. Closing leisure centres won't help.The Local Community
During a spate of anti-social behaviour involving children, evening activities were arranged at Noel Street to encourage offenders to use their time more effectively. As a result, incidences of crime were much reduced. Taking away this facility will mean more frustrated and bored children, more anti-social behaviour and less opportunity to challenge it. The local economy will suffer too - money spent locally will go on other things, perhaps outside the area.Environment
Closing local facilities means more car journeys, more pollution, more congestion. The Council wants to close Noel Street, which is accessible by bus and tram, to put resources into other centres that are less accessible.Links
The Guardian published on article on the closure of swimming pools around the country, including Nottingham. You can read it here. "Although they [the government] think they've invested large amounts of money, it's been tiddlywinks. In swimming, we have the worst facilities in the top 20 countries in the world. That's not investment in sport - that's neglect and negligence."Opinions
John Taylor, Labour councillor for Berridge Ward, gave his opinion of the closure in an e-mail:If there is any doubt about my own position then please let me record it.
First of all it is my view and official Council Policy that Noel Street Baths should not shut unless and until there is a suitable local alternative already in place.
The major scheme in the Forest has been formally dropped both on the Local Plan which would have reserved the space for the site but also from the Council's Capital Programme. So there is neither a chance of getting planning permission nor paying for such a scheme.
As you know the alternative that is being worked up is for a joint-use swimming bath be located on the Djanogly City Academy Lower School Site, which arguably is closer to the heart of Forest Fields than Noel Street. Clearly the importance of the arrangement is that it is accessible for local people along a similar range of times as that at Noel Street at the moment.
It is my view that Noel Street no longer provides a suitable modern facility and this is reflected by the drop off in swimming attendances across the whole of the City and that the Council does not have the necessary capital investment resources to either improve or rebuild on that particular site.
(Our emphasis)
At our public meeting on 3rd March 2005, Council officers gave the opposite view. Hugh White was later quoted in the Nottingham Evening Post as saying "I cannot give any guarantees Noel Street will remain open while the new complex is being built."
Cllr John Taylor (who was not present at the meeting) gave his response by e-mail, which was copied to us, a few days later:
Hugh
I have seen the notes of the Noel Street Baths meeting held on the 4th March.
Can I remind you yet again Full Council passed the "unless and until motion" on Noel Street Baths. It is not for you as an officer to question that Policy in any way!
Just ensure the Council "Acts on Decisions Made".
Councillor John Taylor
This was Cllr Taylor's clarification of what exactly is going on here:
Off the top of my head I can't remember exactly what month but the "unless and until" motion was passed at full Council probably about 3 or 4 years ago at the time that the mega pool on the Forest was being considered. My secretary is away on Hols at the moment but when she returns I will dig it out.
Hugh White has never disputed with me that such a motion exists, but tried to claim he was given a legal ruling from our Solicitors that the executive Board resolution could overturn full Council.
The solicitor concerned has left and I have had it confirmed in writing that Full Council policy will always take precedent over anything committees wish to say or do.
Councillor John Taylor
