Question(s) to the Mayor from Councillor Gary Hopkins (Knowle Ward)
Subject: Jubilee Pool
- The reopening of jubilee pool has been delayed by the mayor partly because of his fatally flawed “consultation” This was extended to early November but despite several requests the working group, which gave such clear recommendations that appear now to be eventually being followed , has been refused the results to include in their public report. Will the mayor now correct that absurdity and publish the full results in response to this question.
- Operators Parkwood showed commendable commitment to the public health need and confidence in the local campaigners by agreeing to reopen the pool with minimal contribution from the council towards the extra costs imposed due to COVID and informed us in December of their agreement with the administration and they started work.
Why then was the council press department significantly later than this putting out a response saying that agreement had not been reached which later changed as a message to the working group that agreement had been reached but papers were unsigned?
Will the mayor now explain this and acknowledge that the misleading comms were potentially damaging. Will he also commit to sending to the working group all the relevant comms? - Reply:
Q1. There were over 1800 responses to the consultation, which takes time to collate and analyse. The consultation report will be available as soon as it has been completed.
Q2. It was by holding our nerve in negotiations with Parkwood, and ignoring your personal calls to increase the council’s subsidy, that we reached an agreement with Parkwood that means Jubilee Pool will open until the end of its current contact in March 2022. By taking seriously our responsibility for council tax payers money, I am delighted that we have reached an agreement to reopen the pool that is also cost effective for Bristol citizens. I have received the report from the working group. Although it does not contain clear recommendations I am grateful to the group for its content. In terms of our public relations, when you are the administration and not in opposition, we have a responsibility to communicate effectively and honestly. We issued a press release with details surrounding the pool and the agreement to open it for the duration of the current contract until March 2022 as soon as the agreement was finalised. I am sure all members will be delighted that we have reached an agreement. A report on the future investment for a sustainable leisure offer will come to cabinet in the next two months. Sadly, due to the national lockdown, Jubilee Pool is unable to reopen at the present time.