Pool Closures and Consultation
You will probably be aware that West Lancashire Borough Council announced their intention to go to consultation to close Park Pool and Nye Beven, which will obviously have an impact on us here at Ormskirk Otters. The consultation for this is now open, and there is plenty that we can all be doing to help secure our future at Park Pool.
Consultation
The consultation has now closed, and we are awaiting the reports from it. Details of the consultation can still be seem on the Wellbeing & Leisure Consultation page.
Writing Letters
Please write to our councillors and MP expressing your thoughts on this as well, including what Otters means to you and your swimmers and why we need these local pools.
The consultation above has come from a vote at the council meeting on Wednesday 9th October, where many of our club joined the protest outside prior to the meeting. The vote was 23 votes for the consultation to 22 votes against the consultation. Below is the details of the councillors, how to contact them, and how they voted during that meeting:
| Photo | Name | Party | Ward | Phone Number | Address | Voted for Consultation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
Judy Abbott | Labour | Burscough Town | Cllr.Abbott@westlancs.gov.uk | 07578 213029 | C/o Democratic Services West Lancashire Borough Council 52 Derby Street Ormskirk L39 2DF |
Yes |
 |
Terry Aldridge | Labour and Co-operative | Skelmersdale South | Cllr.Aldridge@westlancs.gov.uk | 01695 733298 | C/o Democratic Services West Lancashire Borough Council 52 Derby Street Ormskirk L39 2DF |
Yes |
 |
Mark Anderson | Labour and Co-operative | Ormskirk West | Cllr.M.Anderson@westlancs.gov.uk | 07908 640034 | C/o Democratic Services West Lancashire Borough Council 52 Derby Street Ormskirk L39 2DF |
Yes |
 |
Robert Bailey | Conservative | Rural North East | Cllr.R.Bailey@westlancs.gov.uk | 07767 795451 | C/o Democratic Services West Lancashire Borough Council 52 Derby Street Ormskirk L39 2DF |
No |
 |
Alexander Blundell | Conservative | Rural West | Cllr.Blundell@westlancs.gov.uk | C/o Democratic Services West Lancashire Borough Council 52 Derby Street Ormskirk L39 2DF |
No | |
 |
Patricia Burnside | Labour and Co-operative | Burscough Town | Cllr.P.Burnside@westlancs.gov.uk | 07834 702240 | C/o Democratic Services West Lancashire Borough Council 52 Derby Street Ormskirk L39 2DF |
Yes |
 |
Carl Coughlan | Labour and Co-operative | Tanhouse & Skelmersdale Town Centre | Cllr.Coughlan@westlancs.gov.uk | 07951 712882 | C/o Democratic Services West Lancashire Borough Council 52 Derby Street Ormskirk L39 2DF |
Yes |
 |
Vickie Cummins | Labour and Co-operative | Skelmersdale South | Cllr.Cummins@westlancs.gov.uk | 07720 315322 | C/o Democratic Services West Lancashire Borough Council 52 Derby Street Ormskirk L39 2DF |
Yes |
 |
Terence Devine | Labour and Co-operative | Skelmersdale North | Cllr.Devine@westlancs.gov.uk | 07724 508311 | C/o Democratic Services West Lancashire Borough Council 52 Derby Street Ormskirk L39 2DF |
Yes |
 |
Gareth Dowling | Labour and Co-operative | Ormskirk West | Cllr.Dowling@westlancs.gov.uk | 07595 953099 | C/o Democratic Services West Lancashire Borough Council 52 Derby Street Ormskirk L39 2DF |
Yes |
 |
Ian Eccles | Conservative | North Meols & Hesketh Bank | Cllr.Eccles@westlancs.gov.uk | 07771 642524 | C/o Democratic Services West Lancashire Borough Council 52 Derby Street Ormskirk L39 2DF |
No |
 |
Anne Mary Fennell | Labour and Co-operative | Ormskirk West | Cllr.Fennell@westlancs.gov.uk | C/o Democratic Services West Lancashire Borough Council 52 Derby Street Ormskirk L39 2DF |
Yes | |
 |
John Fillis | Labour | Up Holland | Cllr.J.Fillis@westlancs.gov.uk | 07811 388153 | C/o Democratic Services West Lancashire Borough Council 52 Derby Street Ormskirk L39 2DF |
Yes |
 |
Julian Antoni Finch | Labour and Co-operative | Skelmersdale South | Cllr.Finch@westlancs.gov.uk | 07534 144431 | C/o Democratic Services West Lancashire Borough Council 52 Derby Street Ormskirk L39 2DF |
Yes |
 |
Andy Fowler | Labour and Co-operative | Burscough Town | Cllr.A.Fowler@westlancs.gov.uk | 07985 263163 | C/o Democratic Services West Lancashire Borough Council 52 Derby Street Ormskirk L39 2DF |
Yes |
 |
Thomas de Freitas | Conservative | North Meols & Hesketh Bank | cllr.defreitas@westlancs.gov.uk | 07490 541165 | C/o Democratic Services West Lancashire Borough Council 52 Derby Street Ormskirk L39 2DF |
No |
 |
Neil Furey | Independent |
Old Skelmersdale | Cllr.Furey@westlancs.gov.uk | 01695 721228 | C/o Democratic Services West Lancashire Borough Council 52 Derby Street Ormskirk L39 2DF |
No |
 |
Yvonne Gagen | Labour and Co-operative | Skelmersdale North | Cllr.Gagen@westlancs.gov.uk | 07788 265730 | C/o Democratic Services West Lancashire Borough Council 52 Derby Street Ormskirk L39 2DF |
Yes |
 |
John Gordon | Conservative | Burscough Bridge & Rufford | Cllr.Gordon@westlancs.gov.uk | 01704 823073 | C/o Democratic Services West Lancashire Borough Council 52 Derby Street Ormskirk L39 2DF |
No |
 |
Nikki Hennessy | Labour and Co-operative | Ormskirk East | Cllr.N.Hennessy@westlancs.gov.uk | 01695 423872 | C/o Democratic Services West Lancashire Borough Council 52 Derby Street Ormskirk L39 2DF |
Yes |
 |
Paul Hennessy | Labour and Co-operative | Aughton & Holborn | Cllr.P.Hennessy@westlancs.gov.uk | 01695 423872 | C/o Democratic Services West Lancashire Borough Council 52 Derby Street Ormskirk L39 2DF |
Yes |
 |
Paul David Hesketh | Our West Lancashire | Burscough Bridge & Rufford | Cllr.Hesketh@westlancs.gov.uk | 07518 170902 | C/o Democratic Services West Lancashire Borough Council 52 Derby Street Ormskirk L39 2DF |
No |
 |
Paul Hogan | Independent |
Tanhouse & Skelmersdale Town Centre | Cllr.Hogan@westlancs.gov.uk | 07714 190664 | C/o Democratic Services West Lancashire Borough Council 52 Derby Street Ormskirk L39 2DF |
No |
 |
John Howard | Conservative | North Meols & Hesketh Bank | Cllr.Howard@westlancs.gov.uk | 07795 200514 | C/o Democratic Services West Lancashire Borough Council 52 Derby Street Ormskirk L39 2DF |
No |
 |
Janet Ingman | Our West Lancashire | Ormskirk East | Cllr.Ingman@westlancs.gov.uk | 07890 590691 | C/o Democratic Services West Lancashire Borough Council 52 Derby Street Ormskirk L39 2DF |
No |
 |
Katie Juckes | Conservative | Rural North East | Cllr.Juckes@westlancs.gov.uk | 07563 611788 | C/o Democratic Services West Lancashire Borough Council 52 Derby Street Ormskirk L39 2DF |
No |
 |
Sarah E Lawton | Labour and Co-operative | Aughton & Holborn | Cllr.Lawton@westlancs.gov.uk | C/o Democratic Services West Lancashire Borough Council 52 Derby Street Ormskirk L39 2DF |
Yes | |
 |
Kerry A Lloyd | Independent |
Aughton & Holborn | Cllr.Lloyd@westlancs.gov.uk | 01695 421073 | C/o Democratic Services West Lancashire Borough Council 52 Derby Street Ormskirk L39 2DF |
No |
 |
Jane Marshall | Conservative | Rural West | Cllr.Marshall@westlancs.gov.uk | C/o Democratic Services West Lancashire Borough Council 52 Derby Street Ormskirk L39 2DF |
No | |
 |
John Mee | Conservative | Tarleton Village | 01772 346940 | C/o Democratic Services West Lancashire Borough Council 52 Derby Street Ormskirk L39 2DF |
No | |
 |
Rob Molloy | Labour and Co-operative | Ormskirk East | Cllr.R.Molloy@westlancs.gov.uk | 07453 321479 | C/o Democratic Services West Lancashire Borough Council 52 Derby Street Ormskirk L39 2DF |
Yes |
 |
Maureen Nixon | Labour and Co-operative | Tanhouse & Skelmersdale Town Centre | Cllr.Nixon@westlancs.gov.uk | 01695 722543 | C/o Democratic Services West Lancashire Borough Council 52 Derby Street Ormskirk L39 2DF |
Yes |
 |
Gaynar Owen | Labour | Up Holland | Cllr.Owen@westlancs.gov.uk | 07908 800550 | C/o Democratic Services West Lancashire Borough Council 52 Derby Street Ormskirk L39 2DF |
Yes |
 |
Adrian Owens | Our West Lancashire | Rural South | Cllr.Owens@westlancs.gov.uk | 07779 074816 | C/o Democratic Services West Lancashire Borough Council 52 Derby Street Ormskirk L39 2DF |
No |
 |
Melissa S Parlour | Labour and Co-operative | Skelmersdale North | Cllr.Parlour@westlancs.gov.uk | C/o Democratic Services West Lancashire Borough Council 52 Derby Street Ormskirk L39 2DF |
Yes | |
 |
Suresh Patel | Labour | Up Holland | Cllr.S.Patel@westlancs.gov.uk | 07830 347838 | C/o Democratic Services West Lancashire Borough Council 52 Derby Street Ormskirk L39 2DF |
Yes |
 |
Edward Pope | Conservative | Burscough Bridge & Rufford | Cllr.Pope@westlancs.gov.uk | 01704 894540 | C/o Democratic Services West Lancashire Borough Council 52 Derby Street Ormskirk L39 2DF |
No |
 |
Nicola Pryce-Roberts | Labour | Old Skelmersdale | Cllr.Pryce-Roberts@westlancs.gov.uk | 07807 991675 | C/o Democratic Services West Lancashire Borough Council 52 Derby Street Ormskirk L39 2DF |
Yes |
 |
Ian Rigby | Our West Lancashire | Rural South | Cllr.Rigby@westlancs.gov.uk | C/o Democratic Services West Lancashire Borough Council 52 Derby Street Ormskirk L39 2DF |
No | |
 |
Linda Webster | Our West Lancashire | Rural South | Cllr.Webster@westlancs.gov.uk | 07851 037975 | C/o Democratic Services West Lancashire Borough Council 52 Derby Street Ormskirk L39 2DF |
No |
 |
Donna West | Labour and Co-operative | Old Skelmersdale | Cllr.West@westlancs.gov.uk | 01695 729350 | C/o Democratic Services West Lancashire Borough Council 52 Derby Street Ormskirk L39 2DF |
Yes |
 |
David Westley | Conservative | Tarleton Village | Cllr.Westley@westlancs.gov.uk | 01704 840681 | C/o Democratic Services West Lancashire Borough Council 52 Derby Street Ormskirk L39 2DF |
No |
 |
Marilyn Westley | Conservative | Rural West | Cllr.MWestley@westlancs.gov.uk | 01704 840681 | C/o Democratic Services West Lancashire Borough Council 52 Derby Street Ormskirk L39 2DF |
No |
 |
David Whittington | Conservative | Rural North East | Cllr.Whittington@westlancs.gov.uk | 07786 806239 | C/o Democratic Services West Lancashire Borough Council 52 Derby Street Ormskirk L39 2DF |
No |
 |
Joan Witter | Conservative | Tarleton Village | Cllr.Witter@westlancs.gov.uk | 07860 676487 | C/o Democratic Services West Lancashire Borough Council 52 Derby Street Ormskirk L39 2DF |
No |
A map of the wards is available here.There are multiple councillors in many of the wards. There is nothing to say though that you can only write to councillors in your own ward.
Prior to the council meeting the Labour party used the party whip to tell all their councillors to vote for the consultation, which at the time was said to be predetermined that closure would be happening. This means that all the Labour councillors should vote for consultation or else they would suffer punishment for not. This all sounds very undemocratic to us, and places a lot of pressure on the councillors to follow the party line rather than that of the public that they were voted in to represent.
Please could you share any replies with us? We've seen some responses containing statements that are very much untrue. We're planning on putting together a page detailing these statements along with the evidence of how they are inaccurate, or totally incorrect and in at least one example we've seen, very much scaremongering.
You can also write to our MP, Ashley Dalton. So far, all responses from Mrs Dalton have been the same scripted response in support of the council closing the pools, but the more correspondence she gets on the matter, we may be able to change her stance.
Her contact details can be found here.
Petition
The petition is still going and at this moment in time has just over 6000 signatures. Please sign it, if you haven't already and keep sharing it and encouraging others to sign and share it to. You can see the petition here.
Protest
We anticipate another peaceful protest during the next council meeting on Wednesday, December 11th. Please mark this date on your calendar and join us to show even greater support than before. While the discussion on leisure facilities may not be on the agenda for this meeting (we are still awaiting confirmation), it is crucial to remind the councillors of the strong opposition to the recent decisions. Your presence will help keep this issue at the forefront of their minds.
What else?
The Otters Committee are exploring all our options and will keep you informed of any developments that we can. Please watch out on this webpage, on our Facebook page and your email for the latest updates.