Radcliffe on Trent Swimming Pool - October 2014 As of today, Friday 10th October, there are just 22 days until our village pool is due to have its water drained for the last time, before the South Nottinghamshire Academy re-build commences. Having received no support from our Parish and Borough Councils, since we all found out about the likely closure last December 2013, the Save Radcliffe Pool Group reported in the summer that they had done all they could on behalf of the community to attempt to keep our 41 year old village pool. This week, one of our group was advised that the planning application, to include the pool demolition, has been supported by the Parish Council. There was only one parish councillor, John Thorn, who voted against the plans; due to concerns about traffic on Cropwell Road and demolishing the Pool and comments were made at the time as to whether the building could be moved to save the pool. Cllr Thorn then emailed Cllr Neil Clarke at Rushcliffe Borough Council to ask if any pressure could be put on the proposers for a small shift in the footprint of the build to avoid the swimming pool. Now they are going for a three story building rather than two, could the pool be saved for both school and community use? .... something both Kay Cutts and Ken Clarke had commented to concerned residents about previously. This has always been the Save Radcliffe Pool Group's arguement and it now appears that the Parish Council members are agreeing with us. It is particularly relevant for reconsideration by the Borough Council, given it would seem that the footprint of the new build is now significantly reduced. Following John Thorn's email, some of the Group have also made contact with Cllr Clarke for one last ditch attempt to try to save the pool. We know that SNA are worried about the cost of running the pool if it remains but our group has looked into this and there are examples of local communities taking over the running of community pools, Wirksworth in Derbyshire being one example. This is a charitable trust run by a Board of Trustees and was financially supported in its early days by their local council. It now supports itself. Building Proposal Documents can be viewed via the Rushcliffe Borough Council Website - http://www.document1.co.uk/blueprint/Documents.asp Acpt=912956037&CaseId=1401813&CaseNo=14/01813/FUL. Neil Clarke can be emailed via Cllr.NClarke@rushcliffe.gov.uk.