Agenda item

The Lord Mayor invited Angela Martin to speak on behalf of the petition organiser, who presented and spoke on the following petition, entitled “Save Northbrook Pool” which had gained 2231 signatures.

“Lord Mayor, Councillors, no decision can justly be made about closing Northbrook Swimming Pool without data verified as accurate. Leisure services are looking for a £586,000 cut in budget. We have worked out ways to cover this. We are told the three swimming pools have 12,000 members. If only half of them paid a membership fee equal to that charged by other Devon towns the resulting income would be in the region of £590,000. Cuts covered.  In addition, the lease with Northbrook Trust left is much longer than the 15 years needed for ECC to make a commitment to Northbrook swimming pool to receive a grant from Sport England and Swim England. This grant has been approved before but someone in ECC believed the lease was left only 9 years and not the 70-odd our information tells us and so turned it down. This could be re-applied for.

The Willow Grange development increasing the population close to Northbrook swimming pool will yield a CIL of £818,772 this could also be used, even in part for maintenance and upgrading the building which has been sorely neglected. Then there is the matter of managing the income of the pools. £60,000 of club fees were not included in the figures presented in February.  The Leader of WEFTE was left holding £7,000 worth of fees because no one knew how to process it. It is too easy to walk into Northbrook for a pay as you go swim with no one on the desk to take the money. So, we have no idea the total losses made in this way, and it does mean that Exeter City Council has no idea how many people are using the pool because it is not recorded.

Membership is across the three pools, so this is no indicator either of the number of members who use Northbrook. Nor do we know the savings in the long run for the NHS or the care services because people are using Northbrook to help their physical and mental wellbeing often on doctor’s orders.

It is an important facility for the local schools who are bound by the national curriculum to ensure their pupils can swim. Its small size, quietness, calm and closed environment and friendly atmosphere is where the school can provide its own 1:1 supervision. Makes it a safe place for the students of Ellen Tinkham School who are autistic and have sensory disorders. Why seek an alternative when we already have one here.

Because the prescribed characteristics of the majority of the clientele using Northbrook, ECC would need to be very careful it does not fall foul of the 2010 Equality Act. If you want to keep it, you should use it – well it’s difficult if you don’t finish work before three o’clock which is when the pool closes. It closes at 12 noon on a Saturday and doesn’t open at all on the Sunday.  When can people who go to school or go to work swim?

The large function room is unused and unprofitable whereas before it was used for birthdays and other celebrations. We wonder what was meant in you February meeting when it was declared that extensive efforts to drive income and footfall have been made. If something as simple as the extension of opening hours was not tried. As it is out of hours casual swims and evening clubs’ income is still lost. Despite this erosion of income Northbrook had the lowest subsidy of the three pools in 2023/24. This facility is such incredible value for money. It provides a calm, welcoming, uncompetitive environment that is so good for our people who have enough to cope with without the rigours of travelling into the city centre by public transport for a swim.

So, we need the council to obtain completely accurate accounts and attendance records for Northbrook, so the true situation is totally clear.

And apart from all that you have heard we need an impact assessment please. It’s a vital facility for the city, for the vulnerable and of course when there is a price to be paid it’s always those who have to pay the price.”

During discussion, Members made the following comments in support of the petition:

Councillor Pole: -

• was pleased to have secured repairs to the women’s showers at Northbrook pool after contact from a Mincinglake and Whipton resident; and
• had been contacted by several residents who had swum at Northbrook pool and advised that she was committed to providing a relaxed atmosphere for residents.

Councillor Haigh: -

• on behalf of the Independent Equity Group, thanked the residents for working hard on both the petition and the campaign;
• highlighted that Northbrook Pool was a unique small space, which enabled those with Protected Characteristics to swim comfortably;
• highlighted concerns regarding the long-term intentions of the Northbrook Trust, from whom Exeter City Council leased the pool; and
• made suggestions as next steps for the Council;
  1. invite Northbrook Trust to a public meeting;
  2. an Equality Impact Assessment and consultation be published; and
  3. that no decision be made until councillors have seen full facts and understand ECC financial position.

Councillor Holland: -

• stated that the benefits of swimming, leisure and health were well documented, and that it was the ideal pastime for people of all ages and ability, to exercise;
• felt that Exeter City Council had to make unenviable choices when setting a balanced budget;
• Exeter City Council were committed to maintaining and improving the statutory services and that was an overarching requirement when making decisions on spending; and
• he was glad that this had been referred for further discussion, and he supported it fully.

Councillor Knott: -

• commended those who had brought the petition to Council; and
• believed that Members had a duty of care for the money for which they were responsible, and decisions were made having received as much information as possible and welcomed the opportunity to hear all the information at a Scrutiny Committee.

Councillor Cookson: -

• was happy to receive this petition and was very keen to hear from users of Exeter City Council services.

Councillor Miller-Boam: -

• gave thanks to those who had presented the petition to Council;
• gave thanks to officers who had made sure residents and users could share their thoughts throughout the consultation process;
• there were no good solutions, but the impact of the decision must be balanced against the consequences on keeping it open; and
• the information shared this evening, alongside the consultation and the equality impact assessment would be considered in detail before any decisions were made.

Councillor Parkhouse: -

• stressed the importance of petitions in democracy;
• thanked council officers who had heard these petitions as one; and
• reiterated that engagement in petitions strengthened democracy.

Councillor Moore: -

Councillor Moore moved and was seconded by Councillor M Mitchell a Notice of Motion in the following terms: -

“That the Council refers the petition to Customer Focus Scrutiny Committee prior to Executive determining the matter. Petitions, Officers, and Northbrook Trust are invited to present evidence to the Scrutiny Committee.”

In presenting her motion Councillor Moore made the following points: -

• she felt it sad that the potential closure of Northbrook Pool had not been highlighted before the budget was discussed in February;
• a business case would help the Executive to make a decision; and
• the work of Exeter Live and Move had highlighted Beacon Heath as a priority area, particularly regarding health inequalities.

Councillor M Mitchell made these comments in support of the motion:

• there had been a failure to have meaningful public engagement; and
• the issue should be discussed in an all-party forum.

Councillor M Mitchell called for a roll call vote on the motion, a named vote on the amendment, was recorded as follows: -

Voting for: -

Councillors Asvachin, Banyard, Begley, Bialyk, Cookson, Darling, Fulham, Haigh, Harding, Holland. Hughes. Hussain, Ketchin, Knott, Miller-Boam, K Mitchell, M Mitchell, Moore, Palmer, Parkhouse, Patrick, Payne, Pole, Read, Rees, Rolstone, Sheridan, Snow, Vizzard, Wardle, Wetenhall, M Wiliams, R Williams, Wood, Wright.

(35 Members)

Voting Against: - (none)

Abstentions: -

The Lord Mayor.

(1 Members)

Absent: -

Councillors Atkinson, Bennett, Foale.

(3 Members)

Following a vote the motion was CARRIED.

RESOLVED that the Council refer the petition “Save Northbrook Pool” to the Customer Focus Scrutiny Committee prior to the Executive Committee determining the matter. Petitioners, Officers, and the Northbrook Trust be invited to present evidence to the Scrutiny Committee.

The meeting was paused at 18:51 and reconvened at 18:53