On Monday Feb 8th 1.45pm, the petition was presented to Council. Meeting on the Council House steps, Mat Anderson from the campaign was accompanied by supporters and Councillor Tony Sutton [Lib Dems].


Press Release:

Save Victoria Baths Campaign Will Present The Petiton To Save The Victoria Baths On A Giant Pair Of Trunks

Just over two weeks ago, Save Victoria Baths Campaign group started a petition to ask the Council to keep the Centre open until planning permission for the new development has been granted. In that short space of time nearly 2000 people have signed to support it.

This amazing response will be handed over to the Council just before the full Council meeting on Monday Feb 8th at 1.45pm. It is hoped that Portfolio Holder for Leisure, Councillor David Trimble will receive the petition on the Council House steps which will be delivered to him by families and children, in the form of a giant pair of swimming trunks.

Please see below for a copy of the open letter sent to members of the Executive Board by the Campaign on Feb 2nd.

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For more detailed info on the points raised above, please contact Mat Anderson 07919 035671

For interviews and photo opportunities please contact Mat Anderson 07919 035671. Please also visit our website www.savevictoriabaths.org.uk

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COPY OF LETTER

Dear Councillor,

At next week’s Council meeting, a petition will be handed to Councillor David Trimble asking the Council to keep Victoria Leisure Centre open until planning permission for new development has been granted. This petition is expected to contain in excess of 1000 signatures, displaying the depth of feeling within the community around the future of the centre, and its submission will follow a public demonstration that will also attract widespread attention.

I ask you to consider why this issue continues to invite so much public disquiet? Despite the Council’s press statements, there is still a deep opposition within the community to the Council’s plans to close the Victoria Leisure Centre with nothing approved to take its place.

In our view, it is not rational to close a viable, functioning facility when its replacement remains merely drawings and plans, none of which have planning approval. Common sense and precedent indicate that such planning approval will be a long process, and the development timetable that they will initiate will take even longer. It would surely be sensible to keep the current facility open for as long as possible so as to make sure that the people of St Anns and the Dales can continue to have access to a basic level of leisure provision. Is it really necessary to wield the axe so soon? This is surely an avoidable course of action.

I respectfully ask you to take the opportunity of next Tuesday’s Council meeting to commit to keep the Leisure Centre open until development plans have been given planning permission and a development timetable agreed. This will be easy to achieve and will cost relatively little; but most importantly, everyone in the community can see the transparency of the Council’s dealings. It will go a long way towards building up the community trust in this area that appears to be so lacking at the moment.

Yours sincerely,

Mat Anderson
SAVE VICTORIA BATHS CAMPAIGN GROUP
10 THE PROMENADE NOTTINGHAM NG3 1HB TEL 07919 035671
www.savevictoriabaths.org.uk  info@savevictoriabaths.org.uk

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stop press: The figures for the petitions are in - a total of 3464 signatures (2833 collected and 629 online) and 233 letters which broke down as follows:

78 of these letters were written by school children from William Booth School, of which 92 were addressed to Councillor Ken William and 7 to the Council

155 of these letters were written by members of the public, of which 92 were addressed to Councillor Ken Williams and 63 to the Council.


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ALAN LODGE
Photographer - Media: One Eye on the Road. Nottingham. UK
Email:  tash@indymedia.org
Member of the National Union of Journalists [No: 014345]
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"It is not enough to curse the darkness.
It is also necessary to light a lamp!!"
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