Councillor Sue James

Cllr Sue James

1 day ago

Message from Cllr Edwina Hannaford, Leader if LibDem Councillor Group on Cornwall Council:
The Liberal Democrat group raised the following points in the full council debate on the proposed closure of 4 leisure centres in response to a 5500 signature petition asking that all 87 members make the decision about closures rather than just limited to 10 members of the cabinet.
Unfortunately the chairman of the Council didn’t even allow an indicative vote.

Cllr Edwina Hannaford Liberal Democrats group Leader Cornwall Council

Process
- We are dissatisfied about the process of consultation, in our view the survey was biased and skewed to get the desired outcome of closure.
- We are concerned how the communities views expressed through a number of online petitions, the survey and the Swim England letter will be considered
- We are concerned local members were not kept informed and that the no surprises protocol was broken.
- We think the process is too rushed
- We believe that the Climate Change decision making wheel should have been employed at an early stage back in June when the administration was informed there was a serious issue with viability.

Issues
We wish the following criteria to be used in the decision making process and not just financial considerations.
- The value of leisure centres in promoting Health and well being benefits of exercise and fitness and the knock on effect on council services and the NHS of poor health
- Reliance on car travel to access leisure centres both from a climate change and levelling up perspective to address health inequalities with social deprivation overlayed.
- Rights of children as outlined in the children’s rights approach framework recently agreed. The impact on children should be assessed
- Equality of access to allow adults and children to learn to swim and understand water safety, a statutory element since 1994 in the school curriculum at key stage 1 & 2
- Developing excellence and enabling the talented to thrive and be the best they can be on an equal basis

Leadership
- We urge the administration to press the NHS through our MPs to help fund the leisure centres. Exercise and fitness is a preventative measure which can reduce serious illnesses such as coronary heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and cancer.
- We urge the administration to lobby Government to fund leisure centres, you should be banging on the door of Westminster to demand financial Assistance as promised in your manifesto and in the Leaders AGM speech
- We are dismayed that the administration has chosen to fund an airport subsidy through the public service obligation putting carbon emitting aircraft over residents health, well being and fitness
- We would support a localism approach with local devolved management as long as the model is sustainable and all centres are supported, no cherry picking.
- We urge the administration to support the LGA campaign that calls on Government to intervene to support leisure centres financial.
- We urge the administration to consider the full range of options which could include an in-house option. ... See MoreSee Less