We've had a look in the pool building now the squatters have left - and its not pretty. Picture attached. However any damage is apparently superficial. Patrick Hamill (architect advising Shoreditch New Deal) estimates that it will cost £35,000 immediately to sort out the rubbish, the water coming in the roof and the asbestos - and the Pool Users Group are asking the Council to look after this. The Building at Risks Officer in the Council has also asked the Leisure Dept as owners of a listed building to make the pool weather proof and secure and to clear the rubbish.

The Government's Audit Commission are visiting Hackney at the moment to monitor the Council's provision of services. They are holding a meeing at Clissold Pool to look at leisure provision in Hackney - customers are being asked to give their views; if you swim in Clissold and would like to say something about Haggerston too - please get in touch or just turn up. Meeting is on 30th September at 6:30pm at Clissold Leisure Centre.

The next pool users meeting will be at Fellows Court on Thursday October 10th at 7pm. We are inviting all the mayor candidates to come to this meeting to let us know what they will do to help us re-open the pool.

Minutes of the last Pool Users Group attached. At this meeting we agreed to lobby the Council about the short term funding - and to ask for a committment to their continued involvement in the future of the pool as a local facility. Shoreditch New Deal and HCD agreed to liaise about how to put together a business plan for the pool - Carolyn Clarke from Shoreditch New Deal has offered to put a proposal to the ShOW Board for funding for a business plan.

We are still planning to have an open day as soon as the building is fit for use. Marshall St Baths in Soho (closed for 5 years, built by same architect) managed to get their pool in the Open House program and more than 500 people visited over the weekend. Any ideas for the Open Day???

Mike Coysh (chair of Pool Users group) is going to speak to the Tenants Convention (a forum for all the tenants associations in Hackney) on 30th September. We will be asking the Council to find the money for the immediate repairs to the pool and also to guarantee their continued involvement in the future of the baths.

HAGGERSTON POOL COMMUNITY TRUST

We are looking for new Trustees - is anyone interested in taking on this role? More info from Liz Hughes at HCD on 7690 6662 or reply by email. This involves some of the more detailed work in putting together proposals for the pool.