Westminster Aquatics

On Monday 3 November a meeting took place between Westminster Council, Nuffield Health (formerly Cannon’s), Westminster Swimming Club, Seymour Synchro Club and West London Penguins. The meeting was called to respond to the challenges laid down in ‘A Strategy to Get London Swimming 2008-2012+’ in particular:

1)    Developing a facilities strategy for the Borough
2)    Developing an Aquatics strategy for the Borough

Richard Barker (Westminster Council) gave an overview of the facilities strategy including the councils ambitions to improve its existing pool stock and try and access time from commercial operators in the Borough.

Colin Brown (Director London Swimming) presented on the Aquatics Strategy and the approach that London Swimming would recommend.

There was agreement from all parties on developing an Aquatics Strategy in Westminster which would follow these stages:

1)    Audit – November / December 2008
2)    Quality Assessment of provision – January / February 2009
3)    Aquatics Strategy produced – March / April 2009

The quality assessment would be undertaken by an individual expert and would report on the delivery of aquatic provision (school, lessons, club) in the Borough.

London Swimming would also give advice on similar work being undertaken in other neighbouring Boroughs as well as the needs for specific discipline provision across the capital.