Will the regeneration of the leisure center in ED stop ? or will it just have to close ?

[AllforNun]

Nick Stanton, the Lib Dem leader of Southwark Council, has revealed the local authority is considering a number of options ? including closing leisure centres, halting regeneration projects and cutting social services due to a 30million pound budget shortfall.

Will the regeneration of the leisure center in ED stop ? or will it just have to close ?

[KalamityKel]

Quite convenient of Cllr Thomas to have left as his position at the same time this was revealed... a different kind of "regeneration" mustve been on his mind... ;-)

[macroban]

We could petition the council for the maximum increase in council tax permitted within the central government cap.

[AllforNun]

Cllr Thomas left ? left what, where , who .... He was in charge of the mythical Nunhead Regeneration ! What has happened to him ?

[AllforNun]

Interesting idea Macroban, Or could we find out why they spent 5.5 million on advertising this year ? seems an awful lot to me.

[AllforNun]

Ah just found out what happened to the cllr

"I have written to the Leader of the Council informing him of my intention to resign my post of Executive Member for Regeneration on 22nd February in order to take up full time employment with a public affairs and communications firm"

he then goes on to say

"The Liberal Democrats have an exciting agenda to deliver the much-needed new school, a refurbished Leisure centre, better street lighting and improvements to Lordship Lane. With James Barber and Jonathan Mitchell, I am determined to deliver on this agenda."

Nothing about his and the Liberals role in the Nunhead Regeneration plans which he was in charge of; says it all really. Maybe his new communications firm does all the advertising for the Council, now that would be a turn up !

[ChavWivaLawDegree]

But wouldn't be unusual!

[KalamityKel]

Personally I didnt think he really knew much about what he was meant to know... I think he got confused with my "E I E I Os"... two can play that game ya see.

;-)

[SteveT]

To answer the question, it closes for 18 months from june08 allegedly when the pulse lost the water from the pool it was closed some months over the forecasted reswim by date.

[AllforNun]

I think the Pulse shut for nearly 2 years while the council argued over how to pay for the repairs. The contracts that the executive signed off on (just a few years previous) where as watertight as the pool itself. They then tried to blackmail central government/lottery for money, and were in no uncertain terms rebuffed. Then they cancelled their plans for an ED oppulency grant and found the money suddenly to do the repairs. Meanwhile the kids from the surrounding areas spent 2 of their summer holidays with F all pool !

[Cllr Richard Thomas]

AllforNun Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> I think the Pulse shut for nearly 2 years while

> the council argued over how to pay for the

> repairs. The contracts that the executive signed

> off on (just a few years previous) where as

> watertight as the pool itself. They then tried to

> blackmail central government/lottery for money,

> and were in no uncertain terms rebuffed. Then they

> cancelled their plans for an ED oppulency grant

> and found the money suddenly to do the repairs.

> Meanwhile the kids from the surrounding areas

> spent 2 of their summer holidays with F all pool !

the pool was badly built so it leaked. we found the money to fix it. and then we fixed it. what would you have preferred us to do?

[Michael Palaeologus]

Pulled your finger out and repaired it earlier? 2 years?

[Cllr Richard Thomas]

is this string about the council budget or about me?

just for the record - my decision was entirely personal and made in the interests of my family. I understand that some people are cynical about everything politicians say but it happens to be the truth. I will be leaving my executive post but will remain an East Dulwich councillor.

My resignation statement - which can be read here - talks about East Dulwich (rather than Nunhead) because I am an East Duwlich councillor.

I will remain in post until the council has passed its budget on 20th February.

To answer the original point of this string. The money to refurbish Dulwich Baths is not directly affected by the budget situation as this is funded from capital - the council's own money - and not from the government's grant. But the money spent on running the leisure centre will have to be considered along with alll other areas of council expenditure.

The budget situation that the government has put us in is very serious. The grant the Council receives from the government makes up around 70% of the Council?s budget. Every year, the amount of money we receive rises, but this year it will go up by 2.2% which is less than the rate of inflation. This means an effective shortfall of ?4.8 million, even if the Council only spends exactly the same ? which it can?t do. The real terms cuts become even more severe in the next two years.

Increasing population, increasing demands from that population and increasing costs of meeting those demands mean that the Council can?t automatically restrict spending. In fact, demand (and therefore cost) for social care services is increasing and government charges for waste disposal are also on the rise.

To compound this, the formula which is used to allocate government grant is flawed. Population estimates which the Office of National Statistics has said are incorrect are still used in the calculation of the grant. In short Southwark's population is increasing but this is not recognised in the grant allocation.

So there is a serious budget gap. While some of this can be made up by improving efficiency (e.g spending less on communications, managing staff budgets more effectively), we do need to make some really difficult choices about the Council?s priorities.

We are working closely with Council Officers to try to minimise cuts to front line services. We are also lobbying the government for an improved grant settlement.

[macroban]

Thank you Mr Thomas for your early briefing about Southwark Council's 2008/2009 budget.

[Michael Palaeologus]

Close the Leisure Centre and lose yourself votes. Easy.

[macroban]

> Close the Leisure Centre and lose yourself votes. Easy.

This is not an easy problem to resolve. Local residents will be concerned about necessary cuts in local front-line services when they are announced. The fate of a leisure centre will not be of great importance in this context.

[AllforNun]

You go councillor ! You can do what ever you like in your personal life, family or no family absolutely. I do not think there was any real suggestion of you jumping ship or anything like that.

However...This bit

" My resignation statement - which can be read here - talks about East Dulwich (rather than Nunhead) because I am an East Dulwich councillor."

I find a bit odd. as far as i was aware you were in fact also the head of Southwarks regeneration program and therefore in charge of the Mythical land across the park known as Nunhead. So I sort of expected a tiny crumb like piece of news, even something like "yes we have located it on our town-hall map" would be good. Or do you remain in charge of regeneration ? if so apologies.

Anyway good luck with the extended grants, just don't not spend it all down Lordship Lane. Actually while we are on the subject how come the executive find 5-million "as this is funded from capital - the council's own money" to refurbish the recently refurbished ED leisure center yet find sweet FA for us starving, impoverished waifs over Nunhead way. And also Just a little thought when you say "as this is funded from capital - the council's own money" it kind of comes across like the money actually belongs to you guys and not the Tax Payers, which obviously in no way is the councils mindset.

[andyhcfc]

Macroban, please clarify what are these "front line services" that will be of great importance when missed?

Thanks

[Cassius]

macroban Wrote:

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> > Close the Leisure Centre and lose yourself

> votes. Easy.

>

> This is not an easy problem to resolve. Local

> residents will be concerned about necessary cuts

> in local front-line services when they are

> announced. The fate of a leisure centre will not

> be of great importance in this context.

Surely in this day of obesity etc, a leisure centre is of great importance.

[Michael Palaeologus]

Given the focus on obesity, lack of fitness and resulting ill-health I would have thought that Leisure Centres are front line services nowadays.