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| Swimmers’ anger at £45,000
Heath chiefs |
‘Too many bosses’ claim
as ponds face new cash crisis
HEATH bosses refused to disclose what they and their staff earn
this week as anger mounted over revelations that Hampstead’s
swimming ponds are again under threat from a financial crisis.
With seven full-time administration staff – thought to include
Heath superintendent Simon Lee – earning an average of more
than £45,000, and a further 111 full-time ‘operational’
staff earning an average of more than £34,000, swimmers say
Heath guardians the Corporation of London should look elsewhere
for cuts before closing ponds or sacking lifeguards.
Robert Sutherland-Smith, chairman of the United Swimmers Association,
said the “high” average wages suggested there were “too
many managers and supervisors”, which he said was bourne out
by rank-and-file staff fed-up that “the workforce has become
increasing hierarchical”.
The Corporation, which released its overall pay figures in a report
on Monday, says the average figures are misleading but refuses to
give a more detailed breakdown.
Charging at the ponds, free for more than a century, was controversially
introduced this summer amid massive public opposition.
The Corporation said the £500,000-a-year bill for lifeguards
and cleaning at the three ponds made it an obvious target for charging
or cuts as the cash crisis bit.
But just one in 12 swimmers has paid the £2 charge into honesty
boxes since they were installed.
Campaigners have been demanding access to the Corporation’s
detailed accounts for nearly two years.
Unlike Camden Council and the Greater London Authority, the Corporation
is exempt from the Freedom of Information Act and the Audit Commission
Act, which require detailed accounts to be disclosed.
Swimmers – many of whom have used the ponds for decades –
believe the Heath has been mismanaged by the Corporation and that
the accounts are being withheld because they would prove embarrassing.
But a Corporation of London spokeswoman said: “The management
of the Heath is not one of the Corporation’s obligatory local
authority functions so there is no requirement for us to disclose
these figures.
“There have been demands for greater transparency but they
have to be considered by the relevant committees.
“The Heath is funded from City cash, which means residents
do not have to pay tax on its upkeep.” |
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