| Please find attached here a letter sent recently by Sir Keir Starmer QC MP to the Chair of the Hampstead Heath Management Committee, Anne Fairweather and the Heath Superintendent, Bob Warnock. This letter follows detailed discussions between his constituency office and the current and former Chairs of the KLPA (Ruth Hallgarten and Nicky Mayhew respectively). Many other KLPA members who live in his constituency, which includes Hampstead Heath, have also been in contact with their MP. The attached letter outlines the case made by the KLPA and the other swimmers’ associations in favour of charging “Option 2” during the “consultation” process earlier this year:Encouragement of a culture of payment by those who can afford to payMore efficient payment collection by the City of LondonNo exclusion of those who cannot afford to payMembers of the KLPA and other swimmers’ associations have been in contact with their local MPs, London Assembly Members and Councillors. We have seen correspondence from David Lammy MP (Tottenham) which was supportive of our cause and would welcome copies of replies that KLPA members may have received from their own representatives. This targeted approach to local elected representatives is important given the anti-democratic process which led to the City of London enforcing and dramatically increasing charges to swim at the bathing ponds with effect from 11 July 2020 (“Option 3”). To all of those members who have written to the City of London and to their local representatives we want to say thank you, and keep up the good work. |
| City of London Fact – The Hampstead Heath Management Committee which decided to enforce and increase swimming charges has at least two members who were “elected” unopposed to the City of London Corporation. One of those who had no competition for her seat in 2017 (Tower Ward) was Anne Fairweather who chairs the Committee. This means that nobody voted for her. Who are such members accountable to? |