Agenda item

Report of the Director of Open Spaces.

Members considered a report of the Director of Open Spaces concerning the Hampstead Heath Bathing Pond and Lido Annual Report 2020-21.

The Superintendent provided background on the challenging year and updates to the process. It was noted that the City Corporation had been served a further legal letter on 18 May from the KLPA and a response was sent on 20 May 2021. The KLPA were now crowdfunding for legal costs. Member noted the remarkable achievement to open up the ponds as soon as they could and implement necessary safety requirements.

The Chair highlighted that the Committee’s agreed pricing policy on 11 March predated the lockdowns and subsidy, but the Corporation had continued to support swimming as much as it could.

With regards to the legal response to the KLPA, a Member stated that the Corporation needed to make savings and would have to make concessions in other ways, e.g. closures, if charging was not an option.

The Corporation had tried hard to maintain the level of service, and the review of the 2019 season looked at safety and the whole operation. Only charging would allow for this ever-popular service to continue.

RESOLVED – That Members:-

·         Members approve the Hampstead Heath Bathing Pond and Lido Annual Report 2020-21 (appendix 1);

·         Members agree the proposal to re-introduce swimming tests at the Bathing Ponds as set out in para 4;

·         Members agree the proposals to retain the current Free Morning Swim arrangements, as set out in para 6;

·         Members agree the proposals to retain the current Season Ticket arrangements and to undertake a further review as set out in paras 8 and 9;

·         Members agree the proposal for free and discounted swimming opportunities as set out in para 11.