Mo, Jun 11, 2007Cold callers mark the start of bogus consultation
The bogus consultation on the fake Ladywell/Loampit Vale option has officially started.
A Ladywell Pool swimmer and resident of Honor Oak sent us this email:
While at work today I had a telephone call from Lewisham Council about the proposed refurbishment of Ladywell Leisure Centre as opposed to the new development at Loampit Vale. The first question I was asked was whether I lived within 30 minutes walking distance. When I said no, I was told that I did not fit the criteria for the consultation. I live by Honor Oak Park Station so don't actually know exactly how long it would take me to walk to Ladywell Leisure Centre and also have spinal arthritis so walk slowly in any case. None of this was relevant to the canvasser, merely the fact I live more than 30 minutes walk from Ladywell LC precluded me from being involved in any consultation.
I do not understand this question being the first on the list, nor being relevant to the subject in the first place. I am a Lewisham Resident who uses the pool at least twice a week. Surely this means I am exactly the type of person who should be consulted on this issue? It is the type of facility to be redeveloped or built which is important.
I was also told that the redevelopment of Ladywell Leisure Centre would involve the facility being closed for at least two years. This was the opening line in introducing what the canvassing call would be about. Surely stating it would be closed for two years, thus implying there would be no facility at all for this time should those questioned prefer to keep Ladywell, is a very leading way to introduce a canvas poll to a cold call recipient!
After Mayor Bullock ruled out refurbishing Ladywell Pool saying that...he doesn't like the look of the building, Lewisham Council has started consulting asking residents if they want their pool demolished and rebuilt or moved somewhere else.
Remember, it is your right to say that you rather keep Ladywell and having it refurbished. The Council is obliged to register your preference, whether they want it or not.
Don't let the cold callers of the Council bully you in saying one or the other preference.
The Council's plan for the new pool is not good enough and it is not in the interests of the residents to accept it.
The main beneficiaries of the Council's proposal will be the developers building the thousands of new flats around the Town Centre.
A pool of that dimension in that place will effectively be a lifestyle pool for the residents of the new blocks - the developers will be able to sell the new flats at a premium because of a new pool in the development - the current residents and users of Ladywell Pool will loose much of the current access to their community pool.
We have desperately tried to convince Lewisham Council to improve their offer, we have not rejected a new pool to replace Ladywell on any principle but these proposal is in its substance an insult to us all.
Read this paper that we submitted some weeks ago to the Overview and Scrutiny Business Panel of Lewisham Council to know the details of our objection, the broken promises of the Council and their dodgy tactics.
Sadly, the Council only reacted with increased arrogance and has now devised this bogus consultation to attack Ladywell Pool denying altogether the option of refurbishing and retaining Ladywel Pool.
The building is basically sound - well built and has many attractive design features. The architecture of the '60s is currently underrated just as Art Deco was a few years back but later generations will thank us for preserving a fine example of a nearly vanished era. It's handy for the hospital and provides a valuable hydrotherapy resource which just would not work on any more distant site.
In its time Ladywell Baths was a flagship building for the borough attracting visitors (to swim and use the Turkish Bath) from all over South London - and with a little bit of attention to visitor's needs it could do so again.
It is not very energy efficient - but that could be improved, and the energy cost of pulling it down and rebuilding would easily outweigh a few energy losses even over hundreds of years.
The Terms of Reference of the Mayor's advice seems to be severely flawed. They are based on many false premises for example that "there is no separation between the two pools so differential water temperatures cannot be easily achieved" which is patently untrue. And that "the building does not meet current Disability Discrimination Act requirements" which is a clever bit of spin, since it is only technically deficient in a few minor matters like the lack of braille code on the lift's buttons which could be fixed by a home handyman.
Many of the defects that deter more people from making use of the excellent facilities are cultural rather than a matter of money. It's like the public space in a big block of council flats - no one 'owns it' and takes a bit of care. The staff are pretty good but they have been on short term contracts and are under constant pressure from their employer to save money.
All this could be changed with a new more imaginative management contract which encouraged modest investment in cosmetic improvements and rewarded increased visitor numbers. We also propose to establish an active group of friends of Ladywell baths for this community to take ownership of its assets.
The People's Baths could become more of an active and real community centre to improve not just the fitness of local people but their mental wellbeing too.
A bog standard pool in the basement of a block of flats just doesn't do.
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