The Ilkley Pool and Lido Community Group (IPLCG) has announced that it is pausing its fundraising and its proactive attempts to contribute to the improvement of the Pool and Lido, because of the persistent difficulty with engaging with Bradford Council (CBMDC).
The group formed in 2024 when the Lido was yet again under threat of closure, and moved onto trying to secure the improvements needed to ensure that the threat is not repeated. Despite the support from the Town Council and our local Councillors, there has been little progress.
Announcing her resignation as Chair, Prof Becky Malby said:
"Unfortunately our experience continues to be that the Council, whilst purporting to want to engage with us, in reality does not welcome our involvement, our suggestions, or our willingness to raise money to support our pool and lido.
"Despite the considerable community enthusiasm for the Pool and Lido, and willingness to fundraise, to contribute ideas and provide valuable expertise, we have not been able to advance our members concerns or ideas in the absence of meetings that lead to action.
"Whilst Cllr Ferriby, the portfolio holder for Sports and Leisure, has assured Town and District Councillors that Bradford Council is continuing to meet with the IPLCG, that is just not the case, all partnership meetings were paused last year and the planned operational meetings have not happened and there are none scheduled."
The IPLCG letter to Cllr Ferriby published on the Group’s website sets out the difficulties the group has faced in engaging with council representatives, and spending all the funds it has raised.
Over the last 2 years the IPLCG has offered to pay for the indoor pool cover, to buy inflatables to re-start the children’s popular sessions, to buy gym equipment to support the outdoor circuit training sessions, festoon lighting for evenings, and a pool cleaning machine. Many of these are items identified by Bradford Council representatives.
Prof Becky Malby adds:
"Our only stipulation was that there needed to be an audit trail from donated money to actual spend to ensure the funds are used as identified. Sadly none of these schemes have happened."
The Group’s AGM in 2025 decided that if funds couldn’t be used for equipment, IPLCG would buy vouchers for children in lower income families to be able to access the Lido, which the groups says Bradford Council has not been able to support. The AGM this year will consider further alternatives to spend funds raised, which currently stands at £11,000.
The group has said it is sadly having to cancel the Full Moon Swims, which last year attracted people from all over the country, as well as the full diversity of people in Bradford and Ilkley.
Recent really significant recent increases in the Lido hire fees, more than doubling the costs of the weekend the events, have made the events unviable. Even if the Group had known the new fees in advance and increased prices it would have made the FMSs an exclusive rather than inclusive event, pricing out people on lower incomes and families, and in the Group's view significantly reducing the numbers who could attend, risking running at a loss, whilst at the same time removing any fundraising capacity. Whilst there are already over 250 tickets sold for the first Full Moon Swim this is not enough to cover the new fees. All tickets will be refunded.
IPLCG says it intends to continue to work with the Town Councillors and our local Bradford Councillors to hold Bradford Council to account and if necessary, and fight any future threats to the pool and lido if they resurface.
The group will be honouring its commitment to supporting gardening at the Lido, so the flowers bloom for the season, and say it wants to thank the Pool and Lido staff in Ilkley for all their support over the last year. The Group hopes at some stage to resume the proper partnership working that was promised and look forward to participating in the long-awaited community engagement for the CBMDC Sports and Leisure Strategic Review.
Paul Stephens, IPLCG Secretary said:
“Whilst this is very sad news, we are glad to have the wonderful Lido to enjoy this summer and look forward to many chilly swims with friends and family.”
A new Chair will be elected at the AGM in September.
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