Ipswich - A sporting legacy

Ipswich – Sporting Legacy

Not many blog posts recently as I have become an Olympic addict – visiting live events in Glasgow and London and any other spare time spent in front of the TV with remote control at hand.

But I am drawn to contribute a post after comments about the legacy in sport left by Labour. Ipswich Tories have used the Olympics to again attack Labour and myself over the situation at Ransomes Sports Club.

There have been a number of serious issues raised about the management of the Ransomes Club, but as the club are now seeking legal advice it would be wrong of me to comment on them now.

Cllr Terry has been very critical about the probable eviction and has associated herself with the rumour that we wish to build houses on the site, this rumour has been exaggerated even further by Tory Kevin Algar who is accusing us of having a plan to build a council estate off Sidegate Avenue!

Now the only person who has ever mentioned building houses on the site was Cllr Terry when she was portfolio holder.

Now the mention of sporting legacy in Ipswich, the state of Broomhill is mentioned and the refurbishment of Crown Pools. What should be ,mentioned is that it was Labour who built, Nothgate Sports Centre, Gainsborough and Maidenhall Sports Centre plus Whitton and the Gymnastics Hub.

Only this year, I saw Beth Tweddle test her uneven bars routine at Gainsborough.

The Tories were against the original plan to build Crown Pools and only last year were looking to offload the Whitton and Maidenhall Sports Centres. Ipswich Spy (who seem to have lost any sense of impartiality) point out that it was Cllr Terry who as portfolio holder sport Culture and Leisure was planning to build an Olympic size 50M pool on the Portman Rd Car Park – what happened to that plan?

The Olympics have been a success and I am not surprised that Cameron and Boris have been using every possible opportunity to be seen at Olympic Park. Even Culture Minister. Jeremy Hunt decided to meet his mate Rupert Murdoch there (Rupert was there as a guest of Boris) but lets us not forget it was Tony Blair (and then followed on by Gordon Br own) who gave the Government support and backing to our 2012 Olympic bid.

But please can the Ipswich Tories stop describing themselves as the saviours of sport in Ipswich, because just like Gove if they had their way – there would be little if any money spent on sport and sporting facilities.

My week ahead 4 - 10 July

Monday 5 July - 4pm Meeting with IBC Culture and Leisure team

Wednesday 7 July - 9.30am Planning and Development meeting

Saturday 10 July - Depart for week long Military Training camp

This week the highlight was the Full Council meeting where I was proud to speak on the motion to give members of HM Forces free entry to Ipswich leisure facilities.

On Friday I was interviewed by both BBC Radio Suffolk and Heart FM, both interviews were to help promote the brilliant 'Music in the Park' day.

Saturday found me in St Margarets Ward, where I found myself delivering Finchley road for the first time ! Straight afterwards I was off to Sherrington Road, where I attended the Broomhill Pool Summer Fete. The week was finished off with a sausage and a kebab at the Ipswich Labour Party Summer BBQ.

Broomhill Swimming Pool

On Saturday I attended the Broomhill Summer Fete, organised by the Broomhill Pool Trust but now with the assistance of the 'Friends of Westbourne Library' and the Access to Nature group.

I have fond memories of the pool, spending many a summer day running, diving, jumping and swimming in the pool. As a kid they did look like the highest diving boards in the world - like something more at home in an Elvis film from Hawaii in the late 60's.




There has been plenty of political rhetoric, from all sides on the future of the pool. As the area was once the site of the first home of Ipswich Town, you could say the pool has become a political football. But now it has to be about action not talking. I would expect this year that we see an operator being chosen to run the pool and then a timeline set in place to get the pool up an running. But in times of austerity we need to be very firm that if the time frame does not hold we do not continue just to leave the pool as it is, costing money to be kept secure.




But back to yesterday, it was a well organised event, attended mainly by local residents (plus politicians from all sides) showing that both the pool and the library are well loved by those who live closest. The planned destruction of the Suffolk Library service by the Tories may actually help the Pool Trust as the future of the Library could now be included in any planned proposal for the future of the pool.

Out of her depth

The last few years has seen the Tory portfolio holder (and fellow Rushmere Councilor) for Culture and Leisure in Ipswich, Judy Terry, make a number of statements and commitments to swimming in Ipswich- she was for the re-opening of Broom Hill outdoor pool, and she would put council money forward to help the Broom Hill Trust. She is then going to build a 50 metre Olympic Pool next to the football ground on Portman Road. But at the same time the Tories seem to be running Crown Street Pool into the ground- now is she for sport for the people of Ipswich, or is it just words?

Now we do have "Team Ipswich" and in that we have our own Ipswich swimming Olympian in Karen Pickering- and "Team Ipswich" seem to be doing a good job in attracting sporting teams and competitions to Ipswich in the hope that a number of counties will choose Ipswich as their pre-Olympic base in 2012. Last week we had the Antigua and Bardbuda Football team and next week we see the Romanian Gymnastic team arrive. Now I am all for this initiative and I want to see top sports competitions in Ipswich and I want to see visiting teams train here but I also want to see the facilities for sport in Ipswich improve so that the people of Ipswich benefit. I want to see the 2012 Olympics leave a sporting legacy in Ipswich as well as in London.

Now this is where Labour and Mrs Terry differ- today Labour Minister - Andy Burnham announced that the Govt is to spend £80 million in getting more of the public swimming- not just talk of a 50 metre pool but an initiative to get people in the pool. free swimming for over 60's at first, then Under 16's and eventually free swimming for all. Now I have met Andy a few times as he was heavily involved in Supporters Direct, the umbrella organisation for Football supporters Trust's that the Govt has given a lot of support to, and who themselves have helped set up Football Trusts at a number of clubs (including Ipswich) and in many cases it is Supporters Direct and the Trusts that have saved a number of clubs from crashing out of the game. So Andy is a man of action not just words. Unlike Mrs Terry, he is not out of his depth.