Presentation to
Droitwich Town
Council
Index
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2. |
History |
|
3. |
The Purchase of the |
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4. |
Recent History – Wychavon
D C |
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5. |
Recommendations Adopted |
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6. |
Wychavon D C Officer’s
Report |
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7. |
S.A.L.T.’s Written
Questions |
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8. |
Managing Director’s Letter
to Councillors |
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9. |
Full Council Meeting |
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10. |
S.A.L.T.’s Written
Questions |
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11. |
S.A.L.T.’s Written
Questions (cont’d) |
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12. |
Council Leader’s
Contribution |
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13. |
Open Meeting in Droitwich |
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14. |
Time Allocation at the
Open Meeting |
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15. |
Calypso Ltd. |
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16. |
|
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17. |
Heritage |
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18. |
Creeping Commercialisation |
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19- |
Appendices 1 and 2 |
HISTORY
1901
1934 Park owned by Hesketh Estates Ltd.
Building of pool began by
subsidiary company – Droitwich Spa Sea-Bathing Ltd.
Chairman F Wilcock.
Managing Director Donald Wilcock.
Builders F & W Wilcock.
Architect T H Mawson.
1935 10th June – Pool opened by
Ralph Lynn (comedian).
1948 Park and pool owned by 3 former
directors. Park entry 1d.
1952 Droitwich Borough Council consider making
their own public park. All 3 owners died
around the same time.
1953 Trustees of 3 men offered Park and
Public enquiry – antis
packed meeting – the result was NOT TO BUY.
Public outcry – Mayor Cllr.
Mrs Addenbrooke ordered Town Vote.
Vote overwhelmingly in
favour of purchase. Droitwich Borough
Council purchased Park and
The Purchase of the
The
The lower part of the Town
along the Salwarpe Valley had become derelict with the removal of the salt
works and the pre-war Borough Council led by the late Mr. C. H. Everton (Mr. H.
B. Everton’s father) had gradually acquired the sites of the old works with a
view to the formation of a Public Park, in fact development as a Park had been
commenced (Vines Park) and a bowling green had been proposed, primarily to
provide a publicly owned Park instead of dependence upon the private Brine
Baths Park. This proposal included the
development of Covercroft with tennis courts, Town Hall and Municipal Offices,
At the end of the war a
public appeal was made for monies to build a Victory hall upon Covercroft and a
sizeable sum (for those days) was promised.
However with the strict post
war control of Building, the scheme could not proceed and was eventually
dropped. The acquisition of land to form
As already mentioned the
fact that the
However, Droitwich Spa Ltd.
sold the Park and three local people, namely Lord Doverdale, Mr. Harold Platts
and Mr. D. Wilcock purchased it. It so
happened that all three died within a comparatively short time of purchase and
the executors decided to sell the property including the
Considerable debate ensued
which resolved itself into two parties, those feeling that the Park was a vital
part of the Town and those who considered the cost of maintenance too high and
that it should not be acquired.
The Borough Council
eventually decided to purchase, application for Ministerial approval and a loan
was made and the usual Public Inquiry held.
The Objectors packed the Council Chamber of the
Immediately there was an
outcry, the Town realising that it had lost the Park. The Council led by the Mayor Ald. Mrs. J. M.
Addenbrooke decided to hold a Town Poll. This was done and the results indicated
clearly the wish of the majority to purchase.
The Council feeling it now had a clear
mandate to purchase, travelled to
(Copied from files in Droitwich Library).
Recent History: Wychavon D C
Wychavon advertised for partners to develop
‘Raft’ of responses.
Officers claim that only one party (Calypso) pursued interest.
First notice to Droitwich people in Jan 2001 was The Wychavon Magazine
p.9 budget consultation alleged £100,000 to be the cost to reopen for May
2001.
Jan 2001 - Community Partnership Committee Meeting – officers asked for
breakdown of £100,000. No breakdown
available – pulled from air gesture.
2,700 named petition presented in favour of opening 2001. Note from John Smith, Chair of Community
Partnership Committee published claiming subsidy was £17.52 per visit based on
2000s alleged attendance of 8,500 only.
John Smith of Hampton, Evesham – “I am not in favour of petitions”.
Leader Cllr Miekle “we will look at alternatives” and said that
consultation would take place including consulting a citizen’s panel. (Was this ever done?)
Budget proposals voted through on party whip, both opposition parties
voted against.
S.A.L.T. committee members met Wychavon D C officers and Chair of
Community Partnership Committee to discuss ideas relating to Charitable Trust
Status for
S.A.L.T. also supplied to Wychavon D C at this meeting full details of
the financial arrangements which enabled the Sandford Parks Lido in
Recent History (continued)
Special Community Partnership Committee (earliest notification
Public excluded – amendment to allow public defeated on Party
lines. 31 Droitwich ratepayers told to
leave. Subsequent documents and Cllrs.
opinions suggest the grounds for excluding the public were flimsy.
The Recommendations Adopted on
1.That the Committee welcomes and supports this exciting and innovative
proposal and recommend it to the Council.
2.That in order to move the matter forward the Committee recognises
that although much still needs to b done, it now has a proposal on which it can
undertake a public consultation exercise.
3.That it be further recommended to the Council that:-
a) Subject to the confirmation of the financial viability of the
project and acceptability of the final design and facilities to be provided and
b) Following the granting of Planning Permission the Council and
Calypso form a joint venture company contributing up to £0.5m capital and a
lease of up to 99 years of the
c) It allocates a further £50,000 to meet the cost of employing
independent legal advisors
d) The Head of Community Services and the head of Legal Services be
given delegated authority to agree the appointment of the independent legal
advisors
e) The Managing Director, head of Community Services and Head of Legal
Services be given delegated authority to agree the terms of the joint venture
company and the policies of the company, in consultation with the Chairman and
Vice-Chairman of the Community Partnership Committee and the Chairman and
Vice-Chairman of the Resources Committee for final approval by the Council. by the Council
Wychavon D C Officer’s
Report
Two Conditions:
The
Public access be maintained to the pool.
The same report also covered:
Further details about pricing policy will be made available at the
meeting.
Dividend Policy:
To be agreed and the proposal from the developers will be outlined at
the meeting.
Lease arrangements:
The council will need to contribute the land for the development by way
of a long lease. This may be for a
period of up to 99 years. This issue
will need to be resolved during detailed negotiations.
Benefits:
Wychavon will benefit from the proposed re-development of the
1.The existing
2.The public will have access to a modern facility which is capable of year round operation.
3.The District will have a visitor attraction of regional if not national significance.
4.The Droitwich area will benefit from increased tourism and new employment.
5.The facility will remain partly in public ownership.
6.The Council should receive a return on its investment at a rate well above the current return being obtained by the Councils normal financial investments.
7.The Council is able to share in the profit generated by the company.
The presentation by the developer will inform members of the approximate return the Council can expect but these are subject to further detailed negotiations.
There is no mention of Droitwich or Wychavon people being able to afford entry.
S.A.L.T.’s Written Questions
When the Council considers proposals for the development of Droitwich
Spa Lido, will they insist that:
a) Any outdoor facility will include a swimming pool and a children’s
pool both with areas equivalent to the present facilities.
b) Admission charges for the public will be affordable (for example –
the full adult non-concessionary all day charge would not exceed two-thirds of
the national hourly minimum wage – based upon a national hourly minimum wage of
£4.10, the maximum charge would be £2.70 per day)
Council’s Answer
The Council will not be insisting that the swimming pool and paddling
pool are the same size as the existing ones as it wishes to give any developer
flexibility to determine the appropriate size of the outdoor pool.
The admission charges to the
Consultation?
30th Sept 01
S.A.L.T. secretary wrote to Wychavon D C asking for a meeting with the
developers to discuss a number of issues (following unsatisfactory answers to
written questions dated
This request was refused.
Letter to Councillors
S H Pritchard (Wychavon D C Managing Director) writes to Wychavon
Councillors about Droitwich Spa Lido. In
this letter he states:
“A number of issues including the size of the outdoor pool need to be
resolved and it must be made clear that the operational details including the
PRICING STRUCTURE still need to be negotiated.”
Attached to this letter is a document which reveals for the first time
that there is a second phase. After
the Health Spa is commenced an Heritage Centre will be built in the
Full Council Meeting
New set of 7 recommendations:
1. That the Council and Calypso enter into a formal partnership and
that a Joint Venture Company or similar vehicle be set up.
2. The Managing Director, Head of Community Services and Head of Legal
Services be given delegated authority to agree the terms of the Joint Venture
company and the policies of the Company, in consultation with the Chairman and
Vice-Chairman of the Community Partnership Committee and the Chairman and
Vice-Chairman of the Resources Committee.
3. That the Council does not contribute any land or capital to the
project until it has been granted planning permission and confirmation of its
financial viability has been received.
4. Following the acceptability by the Council of the final design and
facilities to be provided, the grant of planning permission for the project and
confirmation of its financial viability, the Council contribute up to £0.5m
capital and a lease of up to 99 years of the
5. That a further £50,000 be allocated to meet the cost of employing
independent legal advisors.
6. The Managing Director, head of Community Services and the Head of
Legal Services be given delegated authority to agree the appointment of the
independent legal advisors.
7. That the Council undertake a public consultation exercise on the
project at the earliest possible date.
S.A.L.T.s Written Questions
Question:
It is not “clear to us why the recommendations from the Community partnership
Committee Meeting of 18th Sept. need to be revised if the project is
to progress”. Would you please explain
why the revisions are thought to be necessary.
Answer:
Question:
Do these revisions mean that Wychavon district Council is making a
commitment (financial and/or otherwise) to the Calypso option prior to public
consultation?
Answer:
The Council is making a commitment to work with Calypso and indeed the
public to develop the ideas put forward by Calypso. The Minutes of the Special Community
Partnership Committee (Minute 294) refers to the Council’s willingness to
consider a possible larger footprint for the scheme particularly to generate a
larger outdoor pool and to working with Calypso to develop the scheme further
Question:
Under recommendation 2.7 would you please explain what form of public
consultation exercise is envisaged and indicate what is considered to be the
earliest possible date.
Answer:
The detailed proposals are being formulated with Calypso but are likely
to involve a public presentation of the concept and a display and consultation
process similar to that for the local plan in the Droitwich Shop. Droitwich Town Council will also be
specifically consulted on the project.
Question:
Does Wychavon District Council consider the public consultation to be a
‘paper exercise’, or is there a serious commitment to the possibility that the
Calypso scheme would have to be amended, or even abandoned if the public
indicated that was their wish?
Answer:
I hope the earlier comments will confirm that the consultation process
is not a paper exercise. However the
Council and Calypso have agreed to work together but accept that the broad
scheme as it currently stands is a concept design which will require further
work and discussion to develop into the final project. In the unlikely event that this approach be
unsuccessful then other options will need to be looked at.
Question:
What is the estimated valuation of the 99 year lease (with the benefit
of planning permission) which is proposed to be given by Wychavon district
Council to the joint venture company?
Answer:
The site with its restricted usage and current buildings is in fact a
liability to the Council which will require substantial investment. In terms of the current negotiations however
we place a value of around half a million pounds on the land input to
the project.
Council Leader’s Contribution
During the ‘debate’ the Wychavon Council Leader in seeking to persuade
his fellow Councillors to support the Calypso scheme made comments about
S.A.L.T.’s suggestion for a Charitable Trust to be set up to run the present
Lido.
Despite having been informed by S.A.L.T. that the Sandford Park Lido
gained income of £60k to £70k per annum from the car park given to them by the
local Council, he stated that he had separately caused enquiries to be made and
he informed the meeting that the annual income was £120k.
The accounts of Sandford Park Lido (Trading) Ltd show a return of £64k
in the last year of trading and £54k the year before. S.A.L.T. would like to know why Councillors
were misled. (Accounts attached as
Appendix 1.)
Public Consultation ?
Prior to the 7 recommendations being debated opposition Cllrs.
suggested an amendment that no.7 be completed first and any action on 1-6 be
delayed pending public consultation.
The amendment was defeated when the leading group employed the Party
whip and both major opposition groups voted for the amendment.
Open Meeting in Droitwich
Advertised at only 7 days notice.
Not advertised as a public consultation. Wychavon D C stated the purpose of the
meeting was to give Calypso an opportunity to present their ideas and for the
public to comment on this ie no alternative put.
Wychavon D C poster advertising the meeting was placed in the One Stop
Shop and at St Richard’s House. No copy
in the library nor elsewhere.
The photograph showed the most negative view of the old
S. A. L. T. asked for permission to make a presentation at the meeting
and had a Powerpoint presentation ready.
The request was refused.
The meeting room was too small.
Many people had to stand and many stood outside the entrance area. Over 250 people attended.
Prior to the meeting Wychavon D C Cllrs. received a formal letter
advising them not to attend but leading group Cllrs. turned up in numbers.
The meeting was chaired by the Chairman of the Community Partnership
Committee. He is a Cllr. who represents
an Evesham Ward. The meeting was not
asked to approve his Chairmanship nor asked if it wished to elect a Chair.
Time Allocation at the Open Meeting
The 35 minutes for questions included a 4 minute address from a
Wychavon Councillor who was making Party political points (no other speaker
referred to Party politics).
Calypso Limited
It is misleading to describe Calypso Ltd. as having ‘teamed up with
Orion Sport & Leisure Management Ltd.’
In fact Orion was incorporated on
Calypso Ltd. did not make available to the open meeting the nature of
their relationship with the Company who opened the Health Spa in
Many members of S.A.L.T. and people who attended at the open meeting
were not convinced that Calypso Ltd. had the trading history and substance to
be suitable for the proposed JVC.
The Companies House records are reproduced at
Appendix 2.
The
S.A.L.T. members have visited this
The Sandford Park Lido in
The local council gave a grant of £44,000 (for urgent refurbishment)
and agreed a further £40,000 for each of the first 3 years of the Trust’s
existence. The Council also agreed that the
Trust would benefit from the revenue from the car park adjacent to the
Attendances have risen from around 60K visits pa to 135K in the summer
of 2001. The Trust has been able to
attract grants. These have included £34K
from Gloucestershire Environmental Trust for pool covers and substantial grants
to refurbish the children’s pool and area.
The Chief Executive explained to us that the development of the correct
image has been the key to success and she regards careful development and
diversification as the keys to continued success. S.A.L.T. believes that the Sandford Park Lido
represents a good and realistic model for the development of a Charitable Trust
status for the Droitwich Spa Lido.
Heritage
A Droitwich County Councillor recently publicised her appointment as
Chairman of the Cultural and Community Panel under the headline ‘Heritage’ and
commented upon the recent success of a ‘Heritage Week’.
S.A.L.T. believes that the
S.A.L.T. believes that the alleged attendance figures for recent years
are not reliable. The lower attendances
in recent years have been the result of a failure to maintain and develop the
facilities adequately and a failure of marketing what is a unique and special
facility.
The
Calypso’s plan for an health spa and later an heritage centre would
require that this heritage be destroyed.
S.A.L.T. members have serious concerns that the developments would
impinge upon the remainder of the park both in the short and the long term: the
S.A.L.T. believes that Wychavon D C are proposing to destroy this
heritage and have valued it (the 99 year lease) at far too low a figure
(£500k).
Creeping Commercialisation
The initial proposal declared to the public (following the secret
presentation by Calypso to the Community Partnership Committee on
The Wychavon D C tree officer is currently resisting the idea that the
mature trees in the park should have protection orders. S.A.L.T. believes that the first phase of
building will creep into the present parkland in order to satisfy the demand
for an outdoor pool of sufficient size.
Calypso have expressed the opinion that the present footprint is of an
absolutely minimum area for a commercial venture. S.A.L.T. believes that Calypso will seek to
extend the footprint in the short, medium and long term as the necessity to
make a profit begins to bite. S.A.L.T.
believes that the Calypso plan will include commercial outlets in the health
spa and that there will be a long term trend to increase the number of
commercial outlets (necessitating more building as time goes by).
Wychavon D C claims that the