Comments on: Mid Argyll Pool features, feebly, in The Herald http://forargyll.com/2010/01/mid-argyll-pool-features-feebly-in-the-herald/ Sun, 12 Feb 2012 01:56:17 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: newsroomhttp://forargyll.com/2010/01/mid-argyll-pool-features-feebly-in-the-herald/#comment-24811 newsroom Mon, 04 Jan 2010 20:53:25 +0000 http://forargyll.com/?p=18825#comment-24811 We couldn't agree more, Catriona, that the point is to make common cause and work together. We have an enormous respect for the energies on Islay and the community's efforts for its pool are very typical. We couldn’t agree more, Catriona, that the point is to make common cause and work together. We have an enormous respect for the energies on Islay and the community’s efforts for its pool are very typical.

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]]> By: Willie McEwanhttp://forargyll.com/2010/01/mid-argyll-pool-features-feebly-in-the-herald/#comment-24781 Willie McEwan Mon, 04 Jan 2010 15:42:11 +0000 http://forargyll.com/?p=18825#comment-24781 Well said and a useful and constructive contribution. There is obviously an opportunity for those running the pool in Mid Argyll to come up with a robust plan of action which will persuade the Council to provide the assistance required. The Council is in no position to countenance largesse with public money unless it is persuaded that what it is about to support is viable and in the public interest. Well said and a useful and constructive contribution. There is obviously an opportunity for those running the pool in Mid Argyll to come up with a robust plan of action which will persuade the Council to provide the assistance required. The Council is in no position to countenance largesse with public money unless it is persuaded that what it is about to support is viable and in the public interest.

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]]> By: Catriona Bellhttp://forargyll.com/2010/01/mid-argyll-pool-features-feebly-in-the-herald/#comment-24755 Catriona Bell Mon, 04 Jan 2010 11:14:25 +0000 http://forargyll.com/?p=18825#comment-24755 I am very much in sympathy with the Lochgilphead Swimming Pool. Having been a founder and former board member of Islay and Jura Community Enterprises I know at first hand the difficulties of running a community own pool. However, any setting up one community pool against another, however unintended, will inevitably be counter productive. In this we have to hang together as the funding allocated to both pools is inadequate for their needs. In 2000 when I was a Board member of I&JCE we saw problems ahead and went to the Council with an undertaking to raise a Trust fund of £300,000 with the interest going to help offset the Pool deficit if the Council raised the annual subsidy. It took a tremendous community effort but by 2004 the money was raised and from 2005 onwards Islay and Jura Community Enterprise Trust has contributed to the pool revenue costs. In addition the I&JCE Board allocated time for the pool manager to search for project funding for particular activities. The Council kept to their part of the bargain and increased the subsidy, not as much as we'd have liked, but any increase is a bonus. However, all such arrangements are now classed as 'service agreements' and have to be re-negotiated every three years, which makes 2010 another crunch time for the Islay pool. With rising costs and the effects of the recession our Trust fund is also struggling to maintain the level of contribution the pool requires. In both Islay and Lochgilphead volunteers are providing the buildings and staff for a vital service that benefits health and the local economy. Both pools need adequate support from the local authority. It's not a case of comparing Lochgilphead with Islay but having the communities support each other to make the case for both to be better funded. Catriona Bell, Chairperson Islay & Jura Community Enterprises Trust. I am very much in sympathy with the Lochgilphead Swimming Pool. Having been a founder and former board member of Islay and Jura Community Enterprises I know at first hand the difficulties of running a community own pool.

However, any setting up one community pool against another, however unintended, will inevitably be counter productive. In this we have to hang together as the funding allocated to both pools is inadequate for their needs.

In 2000 when I was a Board member of I&JCE we saw problems ahead and went to the Council with an undertaking to raise a Trust fund of £300,000 with the interest going to help offset the Pool deficit if the Council raised the annual subsidy. It took a tremendous community effort but by 2004 the money was raised and from 2005 onwards Islay and Jura Community Enterprise Trust has contributed to the pool revenue costs. In addition the I&JCE Board allocated time for the pool manager to search for project funding for particular activities.

The Council kept to their part of the bargain and increased the subsidy, not as much as we’d have liked, but any increase is a bonus. However, all such arrangements are now classed as ‘service agreements’ and have to be re-negotiated every three years, which makes 2010 another crunch time for the Islay pool. With rising costs and the effects of the recession our Trust fund is also struggling to maintain the level of contribution the pool requires.

In both Islay and Lochgilphead volunteers are providing the buildings and staff for a vital service that benefits health and the local economy. Both pools need adequate support from the local authority. It’s not a case of comparing Lochgilphead with Islay but having the communities support each other to make the case for both to be better funded.

Catriona Bell, Chairperson Islay & Jura Community Enterprises Trust.

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]]> By: Mark McCormackhttp://forargyll.com/2010/01/mid-argyll-pool-features-feebly-in-the-herald/#comment-24633 Mark McCormack Sun, 03 Jan 2010 10:12:51 +0000 http://forargyll.com/?p=18825#comment-24633 I did read the piece, but it seemed to be a re-hash of what has been said here with a bit more added. At the very lease David Ross could of given credit for were he got the story from. I did read the piece, but it seemed to be a re-hash of what has been said here with a bit more added. At the very lease David Ross could of given credit for were he got the story from.

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]]> By: Willie McEwanhttp://forargyll.com/2010/01/mid-argyll-pool-features-feebly-in-the-herald/#comment-24585 Willie McEwan Sat, 02 Jan 2010 20:56:43 +0000 http://forargyll.com/?p=18825#comment-24585 Jamie MacGrigor is a very likeable guy indeed but he's in the wrong party. Any assistance towards the baths situation is to be welcomed and the Herald taking notice is a good step forward. Jamie MacGrigor is a very likeable guy indeed but he’s in the wrong party. Any assistance towards the baths situation is to be welcomed and the Herald taking notice is a good step forward.

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]]> By: Eddie Kitsonhttp://forargyll.com/2010/01/mid-argyll-pool-features-feebly-in-the-herald/#comment-24581 Eddie Kitson Sat, 02 Jan 2010 19:42:25 +0000 http://forargyll.com/?p=18825#comment-24581 Jamie MacGrigor is a nice wee chap and very hard to dislike. However the idea of him working very hard and efficiently at anything is a fairly novel concept. Ask some of Argyll's Tories. This late conversion to high powered political action may of course explain why his parliamentary expenses have shot up to about twice Jim Mather's (who actually runs a full time fully staffed office in Argyll out of his). Jamie MacGrigor is a nice wee chap and very hard to dislike. However the idea of him working very hard and efficiently at anything is a fairly novel concept. Ask some of Argyll’s Tories.
This late conversion to high powered political action may of course explain why his parliamentary expenses have shot up to about twice Jim Mather’s (who actually runs a full time fully staffed office in Argyll out of his).

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