Court ruling sparks job loss fears

LIFEGUARDS at Hampstead Heath’s three swimming ponds could lose their jobs following a landmark court ruling last week, the New Journal has learned.
Heath guardians the Corporation of London (CoL) lost a legal challenge by early morning swimmers who argued they should be allowed to swim if no lifeguard was on duty. The CoL had been opening the ponds later in a cost-cutting measure.
Justice Stanley Burton ruled that adults were allowed to weigh up the risks of swimming unsupervised for themselves.
Now, following the ruling the Corporation is said to be reviewing the positions of all 11 full-time and 25 part-time Summer lifeguard as it consults lawyers to draw up a declaration how unsupervised winter dips will work.
The Corporation, which resisted the case at the High Court, could now use the ruling to slash lifeguards’ £460,000 wage bill by getting rid of them entirely to help cut the Heath’s £200,000 annual budget deficit.
One lifeguard, speaking on condition of anonymity, said: “We are convinced the Corporation is looking for an excuse to get rid of us.
“We dive in and rescue eight or nine people a year. What will happen to them when there are no lifeguards?”
A Corporation spokesman said no plans had been made to scrap lifeguards, despite employees fears.
A spokesman said: “We are reviewing the ramifications of the ruling and its impact on the arrangements – but we will continue to have 11 full time life guards.”
But regular swimmers have heard that a potential cost-cutting plan would see the full time workers used only in the summer months – and all temporary staff scrapped. Peter Cuming, a former chairman of the United Swimmers Association, which backed the High Court case, said: “What we were fighting for was an end to this ridiculous culture of ‘health and safety’ which says you can’t swim at your own risk in the early morning.
“But most swimmers want lifeguards during the day.
“The Corporation are a bunch of bureaucrats who act out of fear – fear of being sued, of spending money – everything they do is because they are afraid.”
USA chairman Robert Sutherland-Smith added: “The financial chaos is not caused by the ponds – it has been caused by the mismanagement.
“It was an obligation the CoL undertook when they took over the management of the Heath and one they should honour.
“I feel sorry for the lifeguards. They do not know whether they are coming or going.”