Delay to Leith Waterworld sale ‘a success but not a result.’

By Alastair Tibbitt
Save Leith Waterworld campaigners handed in 6200 signature petition to city councillors.

The City of Edinburgh Council have voted to delay the sale of Leith Waterworld by six months in order to allow local residents the opportunity to put together a “credible community bid,” to buy the pool.

Labour, SNP and Liberal Democrat councillors agreed to back a Green party motion to delay the sale of the pool, after Leith Waterworld campaigners presented a petition with 6200 signatures to the Lord Provost demanding the pool is kept open.

Half of the signatures were said to be from Leith residents.

During the council debate Leith Waterworld campaigners made it clear that the focus of the campaign has always been to keep the pool open and run by the public sector.

However, they announced to councillors that a ‘Springboard’ group of local residents has formed to look at the scope for a community buy out of the pool, as this appeared to be the only way to re-open the popular attraction.

Members of Leith Links Community Council have also voted to back a community bid for the pool.

As a consequence of the city council vote locals now have just six months to raise an estimated £1million in order to buy the pool from the council.

Last year the pool made a £340,000 loss, which means that it received a public subsidy equivalent to £2.69 for each one of the 126,000 visitors.

As well as raising the capital required to buy the pool, if a bid from the community is to be successful it is likely that residents will also need to show how the pool will be able to operate on reduced subsidies from the council.

During the debate councillors from the Liberal Democrats, Labour and the SNP warned that the scale of the task facing local residents is enormous. Deputy Leader, Steve Cardownie insisted that the pool had already been "marketed to death," in a bid to boost revenues.

Green Councillor Steve Burgess, who proposed the delay said: "It's very welcome that that this proposal by Green Councillors has won the backing of the majority of the Council.

"This result shows how the Green party can make a difference in the Council chamber and I've no doubt this stay of execution was agreed to because of the proximity of the election.

“To have refused the community the chance of keeping Leith Waterworld open would have been political folly, if not suicide, for current local councillors given there's an election 12 weeks or so away.

"A credible bid will be one with a business plan that shows how Leith Waterworld can be reopened and operated sustainably. I know there are people in the community full of ideas.

"The community have every chance of success, as we see from other examples in Scotland and the UK.

“The financial challenge is significant but there are routes open to the community that haven't been open to the former operators, Edinburgh Leisure."

The Greens hope that Leith Waterworld can follow in the footsteps of other community run pools in Scotland like those in Ullapool, Lochgilphead and Duns.

Gordon Munro, Labour Councillor for Leith, and board member of Edinburgh Leisure said: “I am pleased with the decision made today and hope the campaigners use this opportunity to achieve their aim.

“I have helped them as far as I can and it was made clear from the Administration today that they are there to help.

“A credible bid would be one that would show that their aspirations could become a reality.

“They will have to be quick on their feet to pull this together in six months.

“One of the people giving advice is Chas Booth who is no stranger to this type of community bid. He is currently working on the wind turbine proposal for Leith.

“It is a question of who else they can get to commit time to their bid.”

Chris Askham from the Save Leith Waterworld campaign said: “I think it’s an amazing achievement, if not a success, for the campaign. It’s an opportunity and not a result – I think that’s the feeling.

“The council have done a good thing today, to let the people have a chance. Things look a lot different from when we started campaigning on November the 30th.

“No-one knows politics like politicians, and I think the idea of a community bid and a successfully run community pool is an appealing idea – it even got the interest of the Conservatives.

Johnny Gailey who has been heavily involved in the Save Leith Waterworld campaign from the start added: “What’s been voted on today is a reprieve if you like. The council could be much more pro-active about exploring all the options, so we do feel this is an achievement – but it’s not a result.”

“Our first choice was always that the pool should remain in public ownership. That was denied, and so we’ve been forced to think about second choices. This is by no means our preference.

“We are not ‘the community’ but there will be a call out to people in the community, and also to other third sector partners to help us with a bid. But that call out will also be to Edinburgh Leisure, and to the city council.

“They are part of the community too, and they need to be part of this process.”

Related articles