Campaigns

As reported here yesterday, Leeds City Council has handed Bramley Baths into community ownership and the Friends of Bramley Baths, chaired by former Leeds West MP John Battle, will be taking on the running of the historic Baths as a community enterprise on a 25 year lease.

The Friends have proposed a community-led initiative, operating the Baths for the benefit of the local community, creating a range of affordable and accessible services.

Rachel has commented,

“I am delighted that Leeds City Council have made the decision to transfer ownership of Bramley Baths to the Friends of Bramley Baths. This group of community volunteers have worked extremely hard, giving up much of their free time to prepare a business plan and negotiate with the Council and I am glad that their efforts have paid off so that Bramley Baths can remain open for the community.

This time last year the Friends of Bramley Baths didn’t exist and myself and local councillors were fighting and campaigning hard just to keep the Baths open, with amazing backing and support from the people of Bramley. To see this group form out of a public meeting that I organised in Bramley Community Centre in June 2011 and witness the strength of feeling from the local community has been amazing and really shows the talent and commitment of the people of Bramley.

I hope that everyone in Bramley will support the efforts of the Friends of Bramley Baths and make that extra effort to visit and support the Baths when the Friends take over. This type of community venture needs the backing of the local community to succeed and I am sure that every person in Bramley will give their support to the group – without whom, the Baths would have had to close.”

You can read more coverage of the Baths takeover at:

Victory for people in Bramley Baths fight - Yorkshire Evening Post

Bramley baths pass into community ownership - Guardian Northerner

Bramley Baths to be run by local residents - BBC News

MP’s delight as council backs pool campaign - Yorkshire Post

Senior councillors at Leeds City Council this afternoon have officially agreed that control of the historic Baths be handed over to the Friends of Bramley Baths community group, as part of the Council's asset transfer policy.

The much loved Baths, which opened in 1904, faced the threat of total closure last year, prompting a fierce campaign from Rachel, local councillors, local schools and Bramley residents. The campaign also garnered the support of the eminent Victorian Society and Olympian Duncan Goodhew.

You can read more about the history of the campaign to save Bramley Baths by clicking here.

The Friends of Bramley Baths came together following a public meeting that Rachel hosted in June 2011 which over 100 local residents attended to share their ideas for the future and hear what a potential community asset transfer would entail. Attendees at the meeting voted in favour of exploring the community asset transfer option and more than 20 local people volunteered to be part of a working group. This group of community volunteers, with the involvement of local charities BARCA Leeds and Bramley Elderly Action, became the Friends of Bramley Baths, chaired by former Leeds West MP John Battle.

On hearing the news today Rachel expressed delight and encouraged the local community to support the Friends and the Baths, praising the hard work of the Friends group and the contributions that the local community have made to the campaign.

As featured in the Yorkshire Evening Post today it is expected that senior councillors at Leeds City Council are expected to agree that control of the historic Bramley Baths be handed to the Friends of Bramley Baths, a group of community volunteers, under the council's community asset transfer policy. Rachel commented,

"I am delighted to hear that the Friends of Bramley Baths are close to taking on ownership of Bramley Baths and hope that we will be celebrating next week when the Council make their final decision. The Friends have worked incredibly hard to try and keep the Baths open for the people of Bramley and I wish them every success and hope that the local community will give them their full support"

The Bramley Baths Campaign:

The campaign to save Bramley Baths has been ongoing since early 2011, when the Baths faced the threat of total closure due to cuts to Leeds City Council's budget and Rachel, alongside local councillors, began the fight to keep the Baths open and ensure that opening hours weren't reduced too low. Local schools got involved in the campaign from the start when it became clear that their school swimming lessons at the Baths were under threat and hundreds of local residents signed petitions and wrote letters to Rachel's office voicing their support for the campaign.

As the campaign progressed into June 2011 Rachel gained the support of Olympic hero Duncan Goodhew and hosted a public meeting, which over 100 local residents attended, to share their ideas for the future and hear what a potential community asset transfer would entail. Attendees at the meeting voted in favour of exploring the community asset transfer option and more than 20 local people volunteered to be part of a working group. This group of community volunteers, with the involvement of local charities BARCA Leeds and Bramley Elderly Action, became the Friends of Bramley Baths, chaired by former Leeds West MP John Battle.

In July 2011 Rachel organised and took part in a sponsored swim at the Baths with pupils from local primary schools, as well as the Director of the Victorian Society, Ian Dungavell. The pupils raised over £500 for the Baths and gained significant coverage for the Bramley Baths campaign through their efforts.

In October 2011, with the Friends of Bramley Baths working hard to prepare a proposal and business plan, local film makers Interplay launched their great film about Bramley Baths and why it should remain open and Rachel toured local primary schools who had supported the campaign to show them the video and get their thoughts and ideas about the future of the Baths.

In January 2012 the Friends of Bramley Baths submitted their bid to Leeds City Council, after months of hard work, and now we are just a week away from knowing if the group will be given the go ahead to take ownership of the Baths. We wish the Friends of Bramley Baths every success and hope to hear good news next week!

In the past fortnight Rachel has toured four Primary Schools in Bramley to show them Interplay’s film about Bramley Baths: asking them what priorities they have for the future of the baths. Rachel visited Bramley St. Peter’s, Summerfield, Whitecote and Bramley Primaries – attending assemblies and discussing ideas for the future of the Baths.

At Bramley St Peters Rachel also took part in a ‘good work’ assembly where pupils received certificates and stickers for various achievements.

Bramley Primary gave Rachel a tour of their school before assembly where the pupils asked lots of questions about politics and Rachel’s role, as well as discussing Bramley Baths.

Rachel commented,

“It was great to be part of the school assemblies. I am really pleased to be able to show them the Bramley Baths film. The local schools have played a huge part in the campaign to keep the Baths open. From touring the schools it is clear that they are determined to keep the Baths open for school swimming lessons.”

The campaign to save Bramley Baths has reached a new milestone, as the Friends of Bramley Baths prepare to make their bid to take over running our historic facility from the Council. I am giving the Friends my full support, and I encourage everyone in the local community who wants to get involved to contact the Friends through their website www.friendsofbramleybaths.wordpress.com.

There is a public meeting on Thursday 20th October at 6:30pm in Bramley St Peter's School, where you can come along to meet the Friends and find out more about the bid.

Report on the Guardian's Northener Blog: http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/the-northerner/2011/oct/10/bramley-baths-rachel-reeves-community-asset-transfer