Archive for September, 2007

Pool Closure

Wednesday, September 26th, 2007

The pool will close for major refurbishment on 5th November. The work is expected to take 16 to 20 weeks. Plans are posted in reception so you can see the changes. If we have any more information we will post it here. (You can subscribe to RSS notification from the bottom of the page).

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Operating Principles

Tuesday, September 11th, 2007

For public comment, parents and members please see email details in previous post :-

HVASC Operating principles

Based at Holmfirth pool since 1975 when the pool was built, the club hires
 the pool Tuesday and Thursday between 7pm and 9pm.

In accordance with our constitution (“the promotion and instruction in the
arts of swimming”), HVASC intends to run it’s sessions on the following
lines, as it has successfully done for many years :-

7:00pm

Beginners in the shallow end, 1 or 2 classes, coaches permitting.
Improvers in the deep end.

7:30pm

Improvers using the whole pool. Number of classes will depend on the awards
being taught and availability of coaches.

8:00pm

Seniors and more experienced swimmers using the whole pool.

All the above sessions will be working towards various awards and
 certificates which are awarded as they are achieved.

8:30pm

Adults, either receiving instruction/assistance or doing length swims. This
session may require lane ropes.

The club works closely with pool staff and makes use of other available
poolside equipment for training purposes e.g. floats, mats, rescue dummies,
balls etc as required for the session.

During holiday periods, in order to maintain sufficient numbers to cover
costs, the club switches to “swimming for fun” sessions. These sessions are
still programmed i.e. not free-for-all as per normal pool fun swims, but
involve a greater element of fun e.g. woggle races etc.

N.B. Definition 3.16 from PAS65-2004 (Published by BSI) :-

“Programmed Swimming

Swimming sessions with a formal structure which are supervised or controlled
and continuously monitored from poolside.
NOTE Examples of programmed swimming include tuition, club training and lane
fitness swimming.”

Each year the club also hosts a gala for club members, and a distance swim
 for members to gain distance badges.

All club activities are intended to complement those also available in the
area including formal lessons, fun swims, public sessions, tigersharks,
length swims etc. but not compete directly – we offer something different with
a sense of belonging to a club and encouraging regular attendance.

Members are expected to attend regularly or release their membership to
someone else.

Existing coaches are all very experienced, and new coaches are expected to
have appropriate teaching/coaching certificates or be working towards one if
on poolside.

Lifeguards will be provided by the pool between 7pm and 8:30pm, i.e. while
children are in the pool, lifeguard for the adult sessions will be provided by
the club.

Coaches and assistants will have completed an ASA self declaration form until
a full CRB check can be done.

Comments invited,
Roger Greenwood

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Contact Details

Thursday, September 6th, 2007

Please send email to admin A T hvasc.org.uk (not a mail link – replace all spaces etc with @ symbol please) or call in to the pool Tues/Thurs evenings and see us in person.

(Yvonne is away on hols so don’t expect a reply from her for a while).

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About Kirklees Active Leisure

Saturday, September 1st, 2007

Just to clarify, here is the page from their own website for those members who may be confused :-

ABOUT KIRKLEES ACTIVE LEISURE

Kirklees Active Leisure is the newly formed charitable trust responsible for the management, operation and development of 10 sports centres and swimming pools in Kirklees. The trust also manages the Stadium Health & Fitness Club and Spenborough Athletics Track.

What is the Aim of Kirklees Active Leisure?

Kirklees Active Leisure aims to: get “more people, more active, more often, in Kirklees.” and provide opportunities for affordable sport, leisure and recreational activities for local people.

When was it Formed?

The Trust gained Charitable Status on 21st March 2002, and formally came into being on 1st April 2002. Although a completely independent body making its own decisions at meetings of the Board of Trustees, the Council and the Trust are working together in partnership.

The Trust is responsible to an eight member board comprised of local people and chaired by David Heddon, former Regional Director of Sport England. The Trust and the Council have signed a Statement of Understanding which summarises mutual and common aims which are intended to improve the service and the facilities, whilst at the same time meet the needs and aspirations of the community of Kirklees as a whole. The agreement with the Trust ensures that charges to customers will be affordable.

Why Was it Formed?

Following a detailed review of the provision of sport and leisure facilities throughout the district, wide consultation with users and non users, and a Best Value Review, the Council determined to enter into a Trust arrangement for its Leisure Management Activity. The review identified the need to invest substantial amounts of capital funding to address the decline in the structural condition of the buildings.

This issue is not unique to Kirklees; it is a problem which is coming to the surface across the country. There is a high demand and usage of these facilities, particularly those providing for swimming and pay and play. The review also recognised that the community wanted facilities in good condition within reasonable distance of the population concentrations in Kirklees.

Kirklees Active Leisure Strategic Objectives

The Trust will focus on its activities on:
- providing the communities of Kirklees with access to affordable sport and leisure activities.
- ensuring that all residents have access to opportunities for leisure that will contribute to the health and well being of the community.
- achieving a community with a good environment and more sustainable way of life.
- providing opportunities for communities and individuals for skill development, educational attainment and qualifications, social development and confidence building.
- consultation, monitoring and review of improvements to services.
- raising profile and awareness of the Trust and its activities.
- sound commercial basis in which to operate.

What are the Benefits?

An independent survey established the need to spend around £20m over the next 25 years to repair and maintain the sports centres and swimming pools to meet customers expectations. As an independent charitable trust, Kirklees Active Leisure can benefit from rate relief and VAT concessions amounting to £500k per year. This, when added to the capital investment by the Council, should allow £6m over the next four or five years to address the repairs schedule and to maintain facilities in their restored condition for the foreseeable future.

The Trust arrangement will also allow for the independent body to access funds or partnership arrangements which may allow for other developments and improvements which would not be available to the Council.

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