Friday 15th December 2006

“Perhaps the best avenue for the long-term preservation of Lime Kiln Leisure Centre may well turn out to be a partnership agreement with private suppliers like DC Leisure who are in partnership with West Wiltshire District Council,” said James Gray MP, Chairman of ‘Save our Sports’ pressure group, speaking after the meeting at Lime Kiln last night.

“I have therefore been instructed by the group to write to Carol O’Gorman, Leader of North Wiltshire District Council, to suggest that she enters into urgent discussions with DC Leisure and similar private providers with a view to finding a long-term sustainable future for the leisure centre.”

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13th December 2006

Carol O’ Gorman,
Leader,
North Wiltshire District Council,
Monkton Park,
Chippenham,
Wiltshire, SN15 1ER.

Dear Mrs O’Gorman,

As you know I am acting as Chairman of the pressure group formed in Wootton Bassett to seek to find a long term solution to the proposed closure of Lime Kiln leisure centre.

We are currently examining a wide variety of avenues but have been very struck in our initial discussions by the partnership model which is observable in West Wiltshire. DC Leisure are partners there with West Wiltshire District Council and there seems to us to be much merit in that structure.

Meeting as a group on Thursday evening we therefore decided to ensure that you enter into urgent discussions with DC Leisure and similar companies, a number of which exist around the county, with a view to establishing such a partnership and by that means keeping Lime Kiln and, I hope, Cricklade and Calne open.

Yours sincerely,

James Gray MP

Thursday 14th December 2006

“I was pleased to have the chance this afternoon to hold a highly successful debate in Westminster Hall on the proposed closures of three of our local leisure centres in North Wiltshire,” said James Gray MP, speaking from the House of Commons last night."

“The response to these proposed closures from my constituents has been unprecedented and I was glad to be able to represent the views of so many of them to the Minister for Culture, Mr David Lammy. Unfortunately - but not entirely unexpectedly - the Minister gave an evasive answer to the points I raised with him, preferring instead to recap on Government sports spending nationally.”

You can read the full text of the debate by clicking here.

Monday 4th December 2006

“I am delighted and honoured, if a little daunted, to have been asked to chair the Lime Kiln Wootton Bassett leisure centre action group,” said James Gray MP, speaking after the planning meeting on Sunday.

“Our campaign is off to a flying start, with two very large protest meetings in less than a week, and I was proud to lead a demonstration of probably two hundred outraged residents down Wootton Bassett High Street during Friday night’s Victorian evening.”

“Now we must look forward to bringing the maximum pressure to bear on NWDC at their meeting on Tuesday evening. Buses and cars will be gathering at the Lime Kiln centre at 5.30pm on Tuesday.”

“The very active campaign group have a large number of other initiatives and ideas and we are working hyperactively on them. You can keep up-to-date via our website: savelimekiln.co.uk”

Tuesday 28th November 2006

“There has been an overwhelming reaction from my constituents to the outrageous proposal by North Wiltshire District Council to close three of our local leisure centres,” said North Wiltshire MP James Gray, speaking from Westminster last night. “I have been contacted by hundreds of people - including children as young as four - expressing their disappointment at the suggestion that these facilities might be closed down.”

“I would like to assure my constituents that I will be doing everything I can to help them save the three centres at Wootton Bassett, Calne and Cricklade which are of such benefit and give such pleasure to so many people. It is simply outrageous that North Wiltshire District Council should spring this upon us with so little warning. These closures could happen as early as next week and so there is great urgency to find a solution to the crisis. That is precisely what I am hoping to help do at the meeting at Lime Kiln, Wootton Bassett on Thursday evening.”

Letter to constituents:

Thank you for your email about the outrageous plans to close the leisure centres in Wootton Bassett as well as in Cricklade and Calne.

I am absolutely horrified by the suggestion and promise to do all I can to persuade the authorities to reverse the decision or to find some other solution to it.

As I understand the situation, I am particularly concerned about three aspects. First, North Wiltshire District Council cut the funding necessary to keep the leisure centres going, thereby “strangling the baby at birth.” Secondly, I understand there have been a number of problems with the detailed management of the leisure centres which has been contributory to their closure. And thirdly, I am particularly critical of the timing of the announcement, which comes about as a result of the District Council trying to sweep these problems under the carpet and which has effectively prevented local people from taking urgent action to save the leisure centres.

It seems clear to me that North Wiltshire Leisure Services have been run down and that this is directly attributable to North Wiltshire District Council.

As a first step towards finding out how I can help, I will be attending the general meeting at Lime Kiln on Thursday at 7.30pm and thereafter will do anything and everything I can to correct this absurd situation.

“I was pleased to have the opportunity during Culture, Media and Sport Questions at the House of Commons yesterday to ask Culture, Media and Sport Secretary Tessa Jowell her opinion on whether the high cost of the Olympics is likely to deflect funding from our vital local facilities,” said North Wiltshire MP James Gray.

“I was disappointed by the Secretary of State’s response - she did not seem able to give me any assurances that our leisure centres in North Wiltshire would not suffer because of the Games in 2012. This is disappointing, especially given that they have already received such a battering at the hands of the previous Liberal Democrat Council.”

“As I pointed out in my question to her, 19% of women take part regularly in sport, compared to 25% of men. Personally I think that engaging more women in sport on a local level in areas like ours is of crucial importance, excellent though it is that we are hosting the Games in London in a few years’ time.”

“I was pleased to have the opportunity during Culture, Media and Sport Questions at the House of Commons yesterday to press Sports Minister Richard Caborn about Cricklade and Calne Leisure Centres,” said North Wiltshire MP James Gray.

“The Minister has taken an interest in the future of leisure provision in North Wiltshire, and so I was pleased to hear him say that he will follow up his concern about Lime Kiln in Wootton Bassett with an offer of help for Cricklade and Calne - I will certainly take him up on this if the Liberal Democrats do not back down.”