Shadow minister joins fight to save leisure centre (From Wirral Globe)

Shadow minister joins fight to save leisure centre

11:35am Thursday 2nd April 2009

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SHADOW culture secretary Jeremy Hunt has joined the fight to save a Wirral leisure centre from closure.

The Conservative minister met users and staff at Guinea Gap Recreation centre in Seacombe during a visit on Friday afternoon.

It was arranged by Tory councillor for Wallasey Leah Fraser, who is campaigning to save the historic baths, which won a two-year reprieve as part of the council’s strategic asset review in January.

Their future will be reviewed again in January, 2011 and there are concerns that the centre will close.

Mr Hunt, who was in the Northwest with the rest of David Cameron’s shadow cabinet on Friday, told the Globe:

"There seems to be a huge inconsistency in Government policy, because you have the culture secretary, Andy Burnham, who is the MP for Leigh which is not too far away from Wirral - promoting free swimming from under 16s and over 60s and here we’ve got a Labour and Lib Dem council that’s actually considering closing swimming baths.

"I think if we want to keep people active then we’ve got to support having these kind of facilities.

"I know that the free swimming scheme is something really close to Andy Burham’s heart. In fact, it’s his baby and he’s very proud of it.

"I have said that we welcome anything that gets more people swimming, but I think he needs to look at what’s happening in his back yard where this really good, modern facility is potentially about to be closed down.

"I don’t think it’s too late to save it. In a way, we are in earlier on this campaign and no decision has finally been made, it’s just that people are concerned because the council has apparently been making provision to provide swimming in other places.

"If you want to encourage people to swim, you’re talking about a habit that people want to pursue two or three times a week. Therefore, having somewhere that’s local really matters."

Jean Dunn is an aquamobility instructor at the centre’s swimming baths, helping people with a range of health issues to get regular exercise.

She said: “Guinea Gap should definitely not close, because were are these people going to go?

"A lot of them haven’t got cars or the mobility to get here, there and everywhere. A couple of the women get taxis here, but that costs them money.

"They need this place for their health and well-being. I have a couple here with knee replacements, people with hip replacements. It’s just not right that they should close these public baths, because these are loyal people who attend week in, week out. It’s beneficial for their health and that of those who will use us, hopefully, in the future.

"If it closes, people will just go back to their doctors for more drugs or just sit and vegetate at home, which is no good for anyone.

"How can the council that closing buildings will lead to better services when you’re losing valuable services here.

"I have worked here for 14 years and wouldn’t want to move because I absolutely love it."

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