A £500,000 bid to Sport England to help fund the new Westminster Lodge development has progressed to the next stage.

St Albans City and District Council has been invited to submit further information in support of its application to the Government’s Free Swimming Capital Modernisation Programme for grant funding to provide improved swimming facilities and equipment in the new Westminster Lodge Leisure Centre.

The Council has been asked to provide a more detailed plan to Sport England to secure the £500,000 grant which will be used to provide facilities to encourage more residents to get active and take up swimming.

Its bid is one of only 45 nationally that have successfully progressed to stage two, out of 173 applications initially made to Sport England.

Councillor Sheila Burton, Portfolio Holder for Healthy Living at St Albans City and District Council, said: “It’s good news that we have advanced to stage two. The new Westminster Lodge pool has been planned to optimise its use as a community pool that will encourage more and more people into swimming and activity.”

The Council has been able to bid for a slice of the £10m available nationwide because it has been successfully participating in the Government’s free swimming initiatives for under 16s and the over 60s. The Free Swimming Capital Modernisation Scheme promotes creative approaches to improving swimming facilities to encourage more people in these two target groups to take part in physical activity.

The new Westminster Lodge Leisure Centre development will include a regional competition sized 25m pool, a 17m learner pool, a fitness suite with 200 stations (including a cycle spinning studio), two exercise studios, a climbing wall, a four court sports hall, a crèche and soft play area and a dedicated youth facility. It will also offer a full-scale Spa experience and a standalone Café/Bistro.

A planning application for the new leisure centre is due to be submitted to the Council by the end of January 2010 and the new leisure centre is on course to open by the end of 2012.

St Albans is one of the most historic places in Britain; with its medieval Abbey and important Roman ruins. However, there is much more to St Albans than these historical and archaeologically important landmarks that are located in the City centre.

A new book, published by the Museum of St Albans, aims to shed some light on the history behind the less high profile area of Fleetville which can trace its roots as a settlement back to the 18th century with the building of the road to Hatfield.

Fleetville: A community in St Albans, explains how the area experienced rapid change in the post-war years, but has still managed to retain its sense of community.

The book is the product of a two-year community-based project that has been supported by St Albans City and District Council. It follows a similar initiative focused around Marshalswick that last year resulted in the publication of the history of that area.

Councillor Melvyn Teare, the Portfolio Holder for Culture and Heritage at St Albans City and District Council said: “Fleetville: A community in St Albans is a compelling read that sets out the history behind what is an interesting area of St Albans.”

The book has been put together by three researchers from the Museum of St Albans with the help of input from other staff members and the reminiscences of a number of Fleetville’s inhabitants, both past and present.

Fleetville: A community in St Albans is available from the Museum of St Albans, Verulamium Museum and the Tourist Information Centre, St Albans and is priced at £6.

The Liberal Democrats have expressed amazement at a proposal which came before the City and District Council full council meeting on Wednesday. The proposal to give two hours’ free parking in all on and off street controlled areas throughout the district would cost the council £1 million and thus lead to a 10% increase in council tax.

Anthony Rowlands, portfolio holder for Community Engagement and Support, said: ‘It is difficult to believe that they are serious. It is significant that this is the first time they have mentioned such a proposal and have brought it straight to Full Council rather than the Car Parking Working Party where it could have had proper consideration.

‘Not only would such a proposal cost a small fortune, but it would also increase pressure on retailers. Many local shops depend upon a rapid turnaround and this would encourage longer stays and thus fewer shoppers. It is a nonsese.’

Cllr Michael Green, who represents St Peter’s Ward, added: ‘I am sure those who have paid good money for a parking permit will not be too impressed to find others using their residents’ parking spaces for free.’

Friday 9th October saw an important development in plans to improve the District’s Museum Service when senior officers of the St Albans City and District Council and the New Museum for St Albans Action Group met. Discussions focused on how best to reflect and make accessible the history of the City and District and to start to provide a 21st century service.

Dr Jill Singer, speaking for the New Museum for St Albans Action Group said: “The City and District has been described as a microcosm of England with almost every aspect of life and times throughout the centuries found in one place. From its post Roman beginnings circa 410 and to the present day the City has been a cradle for change and progress, reaching into all corners of life: academia, science, religion, industry, architecture, transportation and there should be a centre where all that is made accessible. The Group was pleased that this need is recognised and there is going to be a reference group set up in which the New Museum for St Albans campaign group will be included.”

She also welcomed, as a first step, the intention for the Museum Service within the next few months to enhance the display areas of the present Museum of St Albans by reviewing the use of space and using it more effectively.

Cllr Melvyn Teare, Portfolio Holder for Culture and Heritage said “I am really pleased that the meeting went well. I think we all want to see a museum service that the District’s communities can be proud of and contribute to, and which reflects its rich heritage. We had already started to move the service forward and this campaign could not have come at a better time.”

Specific points covered at the meeting included the intention of the Council and Museum Service to:

- Set out a clear vision and plan for improvement
- Secure the long term future of the museums service
- Include the whole community in developing plans for improvement
- Find a way to reflect the history of the City and District more fully in the displays and work of the museums
- Work with the New Museum for St Albans campaign group, the existing Verulamium Museum Trust and other concerned groups on the long term plan

Chris was on the Politics Show yesterday talking about the local elections. If you are interested follow the link below. Local elections feature after about 31 minutes.

The Conservatives are attempting to shift the blame over their road maintenance performance to Government funding. Readers who have crossed into other counties will have noticed, of course, that roads are dramatically better in other authorities.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00k8×2n/The_Politics_Show_East_03_05_2009/