Heath chiefs face fury after voting through charges

SWIMMERS are refusing to pay to use Hampstead Heath’s famous ponds until the Corporation of London comes clean over its accounts.
And the Heath’s management committee, chaired by Catherine McGuinness and including Camden councillor John Thane, should be forced to resign for gross incompetence, according to one prominent swimmer.
Peter Cuming, former chairman of the United Swimmers Association, told the New Journal: “The committee has been unable to regulate its funding and budget which has led us to this extraordinary mess. They should resign immediately.
“I will not be putting any money into the machines until I am convinced that they are capable of balancing their budget.”
In a victory for swimmers, cash-strapped bosses have now retreated on proposals to close either one or all of the historic ponds, which they had called an “unsustainable drain” on the Heath’s £5.5m budget.
But they have confirmed that ‘self-policed’ ticket machines that are similar to pay and display machines in car parks will be introduced at the Men’s, Ladies and Mixed Ponds by June 1.
It is not clear whether the machines will issue a ticket but they will be able to record the time and date of each use and whether it is a full price or concession.
According to a spokesman, this will ensure that all money collected from the charging system can be recorded and accounted for.
Bosses are hoping that the voluntary charges – £2 per swim, a £1 concession and a £100-season ticket for regular swimmers – will bring in an estimated £80,000 towards the upkeep of the ponds.
But swimmers say that the system is unworkable and unfairly singles them out for punishment. Many also fear that lack of cash from the machines will eventually lead to the permanent closure of the ponds.
Jane Shallice, chairwoman of the Kenwood Ladies’ Pond said: “What we are facing is the erosion of current facilities over the next few years as they make more and more cutbacks. This is a signal to swimmers.”
She added: “They have never proved that the swimming facilities have contributed to the overspend. There are still major questions on what the budget is being spent on.”
Mary Cane, a regular swimmer at the Ladies Pond accused City bosses of slowly privatising the Heath and said she would not pay until she was convinced that the money “was going somewhere useful”.
She said: “They have not listened to us at all. It is an obscenity to install ticket machines by the ponds. The original vision for the Heath was always that walking and swimming should be free.”
Robert Sutherland Smith, chairman of the United Swimmers Association said: “Their budgets are chaotic. If they were in the private sector they would have been sacked years ago. There is no point asking people for voluntary contributions unless they can demonstrate they can manage their budget.”
A Corporation spokesman said that there were additional costs related to the ponds which swimmers did not currently pay for while other facilities, like the tennis courts, were charged.
He added: “There are three sports representatives on the consultative committee who the swimmers can talk to if they are unhappy with the management committee.”
A consultative committee meeting to discuss the proposals will take place on Monday, at 7pm, in the Lido Classroom, Gordon House Road.

• Swimmers are organising a special screening of ‘Dangerous When Wet’, an Esther Williams film, at the Everyman Cinema in Hampstead on March 5. Tickets cost £10/£5.