Streetlife

suggest you take some photos, (prob have to be in secret) then send the complaint direct to the GM and local paper perhaps even put a copy on the GMs car. all to often things like these get ignored untill somthing far more serious happens then its pass the buck time...good luck

Why don't you write to Jon Cruddas; he might not be much good but he has to then write into the council and they have to respond so at least it stirs them up a bit.

Also you might like to e.mail: paul.hogan@lbbd.gov.uk or phone on 020 8227 3576 and ask him what's being done about it.  He is Divisional Director of Culture and Sport, Adults & Community Services.  Tell him exactly how you feel about such a bad situation. 

When they designed Becontree absolutely no forward planning went into it; the gym had to be expanded within a couple of months of it opening and the whole place is chaotic.  You can even get in without a card or paying if the gate is open, which it often is.  It's barmy.

Going to the Post is a good idea too because it is an intolerable situation and one that should be addressed immediately.

Thank you Pam, some very good advice there.  I appreciate the contact details and will be putting my point across to Mr Hogan with a cc to Mr Cruddas.  

I really appreciate your seeing the situation as intolerable, those of us who have to endure the situation certainly think it is but I fear other people may feel we are making a fuss about nothing.

The design of the leisure centre does leave a lot to be desired.  However, with regard to the pool and swimming lesson scenario I honestly believe that if people were instructed to sit in the spectator gallery with NO exceptions the problem would cease to exist.  

An additional bone of contention is that we used to be able to go in for public swimming at 8 am, they have changed this to 9 am increasing congestion at a time which, as stated in the email excerpt in my previous post, "...is an extremely busy period for lessons .."  I can appreciate the logistics of running a leisure centre are complex but with good management and a willingness to be open to suggestion it could be a much more pleasant and safer experience for the users.

Thank you again Pam D for your helpful reply.

Very disappointed to read these comments especially as this is a new facility.
I was looking forward to this place opening but it is always busy when I pass by so I have carried on using Central Park in Harold Hill.
I really hope that the council gets a grip on this so that all their council tax payers can get the benefit without being frustrated and potential breaches of health & safety.

Well I wouldn't hold my breath on that one.  There's going to be a new one in Barking town centre by 2014 to replace Abbey Sports which is hugely busy but the new one won't have a sports hall at all or any squash courts.  That means no squash courts in the whole of LBBD and just one sports hall; how ridiculous is that?

I've been fighting the council on this for some time but they don't care.  They say I can go outside the borough or to the expensive private place in Mayesbrook Park, nowhere near Barking town centre.

Trouble is there are hundreds of people who use the sports hall and a lot of them are in the council groups there - how do they think they can move en masse!

Hi Bernadette,

I didn't mean to paint such a bleak picture of the place.  It is on the whole a nice facility, clean with friendly staff who do their best to be helpful.  I haven't used any areas other than the pool so cannot comment on those.  It may be that at other times of the day or during the week the problems I have encountered do not arise.  Unfortunately, I can only go swimming regularly on a Saturday morning as early as possible which happens to be at the same time as the swimming lessons.  My complaint is the management of the parents and how they are allowed to get away with these breaches of health and safety, along with the moral aspect of having to push past these men and women whilst clad only in swimwear.  Last weekend there was one woman who was standing fully clothed with outdoor shoes on, by the poolside, on the phone for the entire swimming lesson.  Not one person told her to move that I am aware of.  If they did she ignored them and so was allowed to get away with it.  She had obviously moved away from the entrance way because it was too busy for her to conduct her conversation!  Unfortunately, I have restrictions on my time which mean I cannot wait for quieter periods to leave the pool.  I could when public swimming started at 8 but they decided to change that too last month, just to add to the frustration!

I have been thinking of going to either Central Park or Hornchurch when my membership needs renewing but these are much further away from me and it seems stupid to have to travel further afield when I have a perfectly decent facility practically on my doorstep.  Especially when most problems could be sorted out with a bit of strong management.

Kayte it is very true that what is required is strong management that enforce the rules. I have never been to a swimming pool anywhere where people walk poolside in outdoor shoes unheard of.
I do not understand the rationale for such a late start for public swimming either yet again our council has let us down.
I have to say that Central Park is great for the early morning sessions but I have been later in the day after work & the place is like a tip - parents leave dirty nappies in the changing areas obviously they have no respect for any other users as there are plenty of bins around.

Bernadette, I have never heard of it either.  My son says they should re-introduce the foot baths that you used to have to walk through to get from changing area to pool, that would stop them! 

The later start on Saturday has put paid to several of the morning swimmers and I know of two people that won't be renewing their membership because of it.  They simply can't go at the later time.  So much for this borough sending round fitness questionnaires and supposedly encouraging people to be more active.  They are actually preventing some people from partaking in any physical activity at all by changing the time of the early Saturday swimming session.  I can sometimes still go but have to clock watch all the time and cannot do as many lengths as before.  It has effectively halved my weekly swimming exercise, that is when I can fit it in at all.

I cannot believe how filthy some people are!  There is no excuse for leaving dirty nappies in the changing areas, or anywhere else for that matter. What is wrong with these people?????  It makes you wonder about their hygiene practices in general and question about whether you want to get in a pool with them at all!   I think all leisure centres should display their rules and expectations very clearly at various strategic points around the building stipulating that anyone breaking the rules or doing anything to cause distress or upset to other users will be barred from the premises.  Every public building has the right to do this.  Back to the strong management issue.

UPDATE:

I did email Mr Hogan, didn't hear anything back BUT today, I have to say the whole experience was much better. There were staff members encouraging people to stay back away from the pool entrance and whilst getting in was still an ordeal as people were still at the entrance, getting out was much better. I hope this continues and it wasn't just because there were visitors today or something similar! The staff there this morning done an excellent job and we even had three lanes!

I still want the 8 o'clock start back but if today's experience is an indication of how Saturday mornings will be from now on I, and my co-swimmers, will be a lot happier. It goes to show that with just a little thought and planning, a few strategically placed staff, and it can work out ok.

New to this site but immediately relate to this item - I'm a Mum with a son at swimming lessons.  I never walk him through the corridor in my dirty shoes because I'm only too aware of the germs they carry and it's not nice for swimmers - wish others had the same view!! When my son finishes his lesson I wait at the end trying desperately to catch his attention to walk down and meet me (I don't want him hanging about the changing area on his own) but this is difficult as the area is so conjested. Something does need to be done but I guess if they did stop it the problem of mums and dads, carers hanging around in this area and waiting for their children would only be pushed further back into the changing room area perhaps?

That is positive lets hope it continues & that the time is put back to 8am.
I still think that courtesy dictates that Mr Hogan should have replied.

Fingers crossed Bernadette but not holding my breath on them reverting back to 8am public swim. I would have hoped for a reply or an acknowledgement at the very least but I won't lose any sleep over it. Maybe he works in the background. : /

k4thy72, it would be good if everyone were as considerate as you. Totally understand you not wanting your son hanging around the changing area on his own. There are far too many people in that area at that time, I don't like hanging around there myself! There must be a solution, family changing area with partitions or something like it where the children could be collected en mass by the instructor once changed and delivered back there at the end of the lesson. Parents etc. could then go directly from the allocated changing area to the spectator gallery and at the end of the lesson go back down to assist their child/ren dry off and dress. I don't suppose it is that simple though or surely they would have already put something like that in place.

Well Paul Hogan does respond ... eventually.  He is quite a big wig and doesn't have a clue what goes on in the borough but he might well be checking into this before he does respond.  If you don't hear within 3 weeks then chase him up because you deserve answers and a change in the way things are done.You could always get Jon Cruddas on the case too as he is Dagenham MP but he might be a bit busy just now trying to get out of being caught with no car insurance!