Note to users and local residents:

Dear All

Just a quick note to say thank you all for continuing to support the efforts to safeguard the future of Sobell. The information below highlights the current shift in LBI position, but, like I am sure you are, I remain concerned whilst redevelopment remains official LBI policy.

1. My text to islington tribune 14 May 2009 As you know, I have been the volunteer Customer representative at Sobell Leisure for more than fifteen years. When the issue of redevelopment was raised by LBI last year, I made contact with Gordon Kerr, a Director of England Squash and Chair of Middlesex Squash and Racketball Association. His role within England Squash is to safeguard UK sports and leisure centres that are under threat of unnecessary closure. This important role is not specific to squash. Beyond the matter of Sobell, Gordon works tirelessly to safeguard threatened leisure facilities across the UK.

He has committed vast numbers of hours of his time during the last year liaising with me on meeting with a diverse group of influential people including Gerry Sutcliffe MP, Minister for Sport, Jeremy Corbyn MP, Jenny Jones, Green Party GLA Member, Boris Johnson, Mayor of London, the Trustees of the Sobell Foundation, James Dunnett, prominent local architect and Peter Baird, local planner. Throughout this time there has been great support from all concerned. In our various discussions with the Islington Labour, Green and Conservative Parties, all have expressed support for our position and have promised that if, in the future, any major changes are planned to the Sobell Centre, a detailed consultation will take place to ensure the views of all users are considered.

We have been especially thankful for the support given by the local MP Jeremy Corbyn. His stance very much reflects the views of over 4500 users and local residents with whom Gordon and I have spoken over the past year, all but 2 of whom want the Centre refurbished and/or there to be a balanced consultation with full details of facilities on offer and costs involved.

The LBI statement confirming that £1.7m has been set aside for improving Sobell (mainly new roof, ice rink floor) and Finsbury Centres, and that redevelopment plans are not currently being considered in light of the current economic situation is a welcome shift in position that confirms the existing Sobell Centre is fit for purpose.

All users and local residents now look forward to additional monies being allocated in future budgets to ensure the upgrading of all current facilities at the Centre. We think the provision of such diverse and high quality facilities is very much in line with the philosophy and aims of Sir Michael and will continue to push for this on behalf of the whole community.

Gordon and I have no doubt that the shift in the LBI decision is in consequence of the huge amount of public pressure that the council has received from users, residents and the local community, all wanting refurbishment not redevelopment a choice they were not given in the sole skewed consultation exercise that left so many people feeling angry and patronised.

2. The Islington Tribune article 15 May 2009

Weblink is:

http://www.thecnj.co.uk/islington/2009/051509/inews051509_01.html

This article does contain the following comment, attributed to Phil Kelly: Finsbury Park ward Labour Cllr Phil Kelly said he would never rule out demolition. We need to look at the scheme again and this time get views from all. The existing building is very old fashioned and there is a lot of wasted space. In the future people might want a brand new building with modern facilities. I have no love for the current building.

As I am sure you are, I am very concerned by this and have asked the Leader of Islington Labour for her views. It may be that the quotation is wrongly attributed it certainly sounds more like a comment that would come from a Liberal Democrat Councillor!

3. Islington Gazette article 14 May 2009

I certainly have grave concerns over the highlighted text below:

Article text: Two flagship sports centres have been hit by the credit crunch as ambitious plans to rebuild their crumbling premises have been put on ice. Falling property prices have put paid to controversial plans to knock down and rebuild the Finsbury and Sobell leisure centres, bosses at Islington Council have revealed. Council chiefs had intended to spend almost £50million on new buildings for the Finsbury Leisure Centre in Norman Street, Finsbury, and the Sobell Leisure Centre in Hornsey Road, Holloway, in time for the 2012 Olympics.

They now admit that the work will only happen once the market picks up.

But by the time that happens, the ruling Liberal Democrats may not be in power as the local elections are set for next year. And a band of protesters are now calling on the council to abandon its desire to bulldoze the centres and refurbish them instead.

Campaigner and Labour MP Jeremy Corbyn said: This is a wakeup call. Even in the most optimistic stage of the property boom, the scheme was not properly funded. The council must rapidly get together an affordable refurbishment plan.

Islington Council had been planning to invest about £24million of its own money, and a further £23million from developers. The bulk of that would have been raised by selling off part of the sites for housing. The council would now get so little for the land that that the scheme is not viable.

Liberal Democrat councillor Ruth Polling, executive member for leisure, said: I am hugely disappointed. This has been the biggest thing I've been working on for two years. We are going to wait and watch the market very carefully. Once we get the numbers to add up, we will be back I am pledging that. And local supporter Matthew Ingram, 38, a designer of Mitchell Street, Finsbury, said: It's a shame that their hard work has come to nothing. The local residents would have looked forward to the area being regenerated.

In the meantime, the council is putting aside £1.7million to keep the centres' ageing buildings open although the bulk of the money will go to repairing the Sobell. Islington Council is also forging ahead with plans for the £16million refurbishment of the Grade IIlisted Ironmonger Row Baths in Ironmonger Row, Finsbury. The original washhouse opened in 1931 for the East End poor. The mahogany and marble Turkish baths, now one of the last in London, opened together with the swimming pool in 1938.

The building will be restored to its former glory in time for the 2012 Olympics.

Councillor Polling is hugely excited. And David Hyams of regeneration body EC1 New Deal for Communities, which is contributing £3.7million of the money, said: By investing in the Ironmonger Row Baths we are investing in the health and physical welfare of our community. It's critical that everyone living in EC1 has somewhere that's easy to get to for keeping fit and healthy.

Protesters say it is possible for the same to be done at the Finsbury and Sobell centres. Gordon Kerr, who is on the board of England Squash, said: I can't hide my relief that the demolition project is being iced. There would have been three years with nothing there, which would have added to the problems of obesity of kids killing each other because they have nothing else to do.

Plans for Ironmonger Row Baths are to be agreed by the council's executive committee on May 21.

4. Islington Council information sent to me as Sobell Customer Representative Unsure what is really meant by the highlighted comments but have my concerns!

As one of our key stakeholders I am writing to you to give you an update on our proposals surrounding the Leisure Estate developments in Islington. The attached report will be decided upon at the Council's Executive meeting on Thursday 21st May, Islington Council are proposing to progress with a £16m refurbishment of Ironmonger Row Baths in the summer of 2010 and to phase the projects at Sobell Leisure Centre and at Finsbury Leisure centre.

We are also proposing to invest monies into immediate maintenance issues at Sobell leisure centre as a consequence of this phased approach and remain committed to the longer term projects. I have also attached a link to our website which has a Frequently Asked Question section on these proposals which should help you glean further information. I will update you further once a decision has been made on these proposals and rest assured we will work closely with Aquaterra to progress these proposals and manage the implications for custom in Islington.

http://www.islington.gov.uk/Democracy/reports/reportdetail.asp?ReportID=7527&intSectionID=6&intSubSectionID=2

http://www.islington.gov.uk/leisure/sports/

Cheers, Barry Barry Hill Sobell Customer Representative