From Dave H
Monday, 13 October 2008

Some considerable time ago there was an interesting thread on here about the proposed Hebden Bridge swimming pool site, and some alleged irregularities regarding what had happened to the funds raised / allocated. Personally, I have not seen or heard anything about it since, and wondered whether anyone had been held to account, or at least investigated and cleared?

From Dave H
Friday, 17 October 2008

Curiosity got the better of me. I just spoke to the Charties Commission, and no accounts have been submitted by the Hebden Royd Pool Association for over 5 years, though they are obliged to do so.

Anyone got any further information???

From Dave H
Wednesday, 22 October 2008

Hang on, does this mean that no-one knows any more about this situation? Two years ago, this information was uncovered / disclosed:

'We now know for certain that the Trustees of the Hebden Royd Pool Association sold the land to Richardson Developments who are building houses on the site. The land was sold for £885,000 which, according to the Charity Commission, is either going towards a swimming pool on land "provided for free" by the Mytholmroyd Community Association, or the funds will be transferred to the Mytholmroyd Community Association restricting their use to building a swimming pool. "The receiving charity would need to be made aware of the restrictions."

At the moment, the funds are still held by the trustees, but the money must be used to "to build a swimming pool for the people Hebden Bridge and District".

So, where is the money now? What is the plan for it going forward? Where are the accounts that should have been submitted, and are now significantly overdue? Where are the 'trustees'? Is it just me who is alarmed by this?

I'm not suggesting any specific wrong doing, just keen for someone to fill in some rather large gaps that exist, and look a little odd.

From Esther Williams
Saturday, 25 October 2008

In response, I thought you might be interested in this because clearly there are a few gaps and have been for a while.

I contacted the Charity Commission in November 2006 after various questions had arisen during a quite different issue (related to the culvert on the site) along the lines of "and by the way what did happen to the money". No accounts had been submitted for 2003, 2004 or 2005. The Charity Commission looked into the matter and this was the response:-

Ref: CJH/584200/AU (T)
Date 17 November 2006
Hebden Royd & District Swimming Pool Association - 700534

We have concluded that no formal intervention is necessary at this time. In the circumstances, we consider that the most appropriate and proportionate course of action is for us to write to the trustees of the charity to offer advice and guidance as necessary.

We understood that the trustees appointed by Order of the Charity Commissioners in 2003, would be winding up the charity and transferring the remaining assets of the charity to the Mytholmroyd Community Association (Registered Charity number 506140). The trustees have confirmed this is their intention and the trustees also confirmed that they have sold the charity’s property. From our Land Registry search and contact with the trustees, the Commission is satisfied that the Mrs Sutcliffe was a holding trustee rather than owner of the property. The Land registry states that the land is in the name of Richardson Projects Ltd. Therefore, there no further action for the Commission in respect of this issue.

The trustees have stated that it is their intention to use the proceeds of sale of approximately £885,000, to build a swimming pool on a piece of land provided for free by the Mytholmroyd Community Association. They could alternatively transfer the funds to the Mytholmroyd Community Association restricting their use to build a swimming pool. The receiving charity would need to be made aware of the restrictions. This is of course a decision for the trustees to make in the interests of their charity and its objects.

It would appear that the charity is in effect inactive at this moment. The trustees are holding funds that will be used to build a swimming pool for the people Hebden Bridge and District. The trustees need to decide the best course of action so that these funds can be used to further the objects of the charity. The trustees have been advised that an effective charity is accountable to the public and other stakeholders. Non submission of accounts can lead to questions being asked of the trustees and it is therefore best practice for charities to be transparent in their activities.

The trustees have been reminded of their responsibilities and of the legal requirement to prepare and submit accounts and returns to the Commission within 10 months from the charity’s financial year end. The trustees have been advised to consider the range of Commission publications and accounting guidance to help prepare their annual report and accounts. All are available on our website or from our Contact Centre on 0845 3000 218.

The trustees have confirmed that the current correspondent for the charity is Mr Harold Ryder c/o the correspondent address available from our website.

Thank you for bringing this matter to our attention.

Miss Cora Heal
Assessment Unit
e:enquiries@charitycommission.gsi.gov.uk


I note that according to the Charity Commission website today, annual returns for 2006 and 2007 were submitted in July 2007 and April 2008, both very late. To this date no accounts have been received for the last 5 years. Accounts for 2003 are now 1729 days overdue and even accounts for 2006 are 633 days overdue!

In 2006, the charity had an income of £357,769 and no expenditure. In 2007, the income was £41,000, with expenditure of £2,600.

On the Charity Commission website, returns for Mytholmroyd Community Association 506140, show an income of between £80,000 and £95,000 each year for the last five years and an expenditure which roughly matches. So no large transfers of money during the time which could be from the swimming pool site.

This leaves a few questions unanswered at this time:-

1. According to the information the swimming pool association gave to the Charity Commission, they received £885,000 from the sale of the site. They have only declared £357,769, and a further £41,000 the following year (??interest). Where is the other half a million pounds?

2. Why have no accounts been submitted that could answer everyone's questions and which are required by law and which have been specifically requested by the Charity Commission following the complaint in 2006?

3. The trustees informed the Charity Commission that they would be winding up the company. What was £2600 spent on? Is this financial or investment services - nobody knows because there are no accounts.

4. Richard Marshall, Eileen Barnes and Dorothy Sutcliffe are listed by the Charity Commission as the trustees.

Official contact details are given as:-
Mrs Dorothy Sutcliffe
Badger Lane
Four Winds
Blackshaw Head
Hebden Bridge
West Yorkshire
HX7 7JJ
Tel 01422 844893

Could these trustees let people know what's happening? It is now two years since they were asked to do exactly that by the Charity Commission? It is a legal requirement.

From Tom Standfield
Monday, 17 November 2008

As someone who donated money to the fund when it was planned to have a swimming pool on the Victoria Road land, I'd like to add my voice to those who want to know where the money has gone.

Surely, the trustees should have the common decency to tell the community just where our money is, and what has happened to it over the years.

From Dave H
Thursday, 27 November 2008

Are the minutes from Hebden Royd Town Council meeting from 19th November freely available? I'd love to hear what Dorothy Sutcliffe reported back, and how the substantial delays in submitting accounts were explained.

Trustee Dorothy Sutcliffe was to report to the Hebden Royd Town Council meeting of 19th November but as the Hebden Bridge Web reported (Hebweb News, 20th Nov) she was unable to make the meeting.

From Lou
Friday, 28 November 2008

OK - so for whatever reason Dorothy Sutcliffe was unable to attend the meeting. But how about the other two people previously mentioned, Richard Marshall and Eileen Barnes. Surely there has to be some accountability here?

From Cllr Chris Sawer
Saturday, 29 November 2008

I believe Mrs Sutcliffe is intending to come to the Hebden Royd full council meeting this week (3 December). Members of the public are welcome to attend the council meeting.

From the agenda (item 20): "Hebden Royd Swimming Pool Association, Cllr D Sutcliffe will address members on the development"

From Jim Brierley
Saturday, 6 December 2008

Does anybody know what happened at the meeting of December 3rd. - and has any explanation been forthcoming regarding the delay in the distribution of the funds?

From Cllr Chris Sawer
Sunday, 7 December 2008

Unfortunately Mrs Sutcliffe didn't attend the Hebden Royd Town Council meeting on 3 December either.

I hope very much that she will be able to come in the future. Councillors are concerned about the Swimming Pool Association, and we want to work with the charity trustees to ensure that the money raised is used to build a community swimming pool somewhere in Hebden Royd in the not too distant future.

From Lou
Monday, 8 December 2008

From any point of view it does not look good that Dorothy Sutcliffe was again unable to attend the meeting, despite (allegedly) stating previously that she would.

But I repeat, what about the other two people previously mentioned, Richard Marshall and Eileen Barnes?

From Dave H
Tuesday, 6 January 2009

So what next? When is the next council meeting, and will the members of the Swimming Pool Association be attending?

From Dave H
Friday, 20 February 2009

There have been four Hebden Royd Town Council meetings since my last post (14/01, 21/01, 4/02 and 18/02). Could someone from the town council please explain either

1. What the trustees had to say for themselves? or
2. Why they have all managed to dodge four more opportunities to explain the situation.

We are not talking about small amounts of money here, nor minor errors with submitting the correct paperwork for the accounts etc.

From Jo Beacroft-Mitchell
Tuesday, 24 February 2009

I understand that both Mrs Sutcliffe and Richard Marshall attended last week's meeting - minutes should be available soon if not already from the website.

I cannot comment on the report as I was not in attendance. However I have now seen the tabled report of the proposed plans and will be interested to see the feasibility study (and pressumably the public consultation this will encompass) unfold.

From Cllr Chris Sawer
Wednesday, 25 February 2009

As Jo has pointed out, Mrs Sutcliffe and Cllr Marshall (CMBC) attended last week's Hebden Royd Town Council meeting. Due to an administrative error, they were missed off the agenda, so councillors didn't know in advance that they were coming. This was frustrating as it meant that I (and probably others) had left the relevant documents and notes at home.

They gave a brief talk about the current state of plans to build a community-run swimming pool in Mytholmroyd. Architects plans and some background information was given.

In terms of financing the project on an ongoing basis, the association has looked at several other community-run swimming pools throughout the country, as well as the council-run pools which already exist at Elland, Sowerby Bridge and Todmorden.

As I understand it, the association has not yet completed the necessary costings, and has promised to come back to the Town Council when more detailed information is available, provisionally in April. I hope that when they return, the agenda will be correct, so that councillors can be prepared, and interested members of the public can attend.

Dave H - if you have specific questions you'd like asked, I suggest you contact one of your local councillors directly. See the latest version of Town Talk for their contact details.

From Dave H
Thursday, 5 March 2009

I have no new specfic questions other than those published by myself and others on this site many times.

Maybe someone from the council could take a minute to answer them publicly, as the minutes of the meeting are not yet available online? These questions are best summed up by the post from Esther Williams back in October:

1. According to the information the swimming pool association gave to the Charity Commission, they received £885,000 from the sale of the site. They have only declared £357,769, and a further £41,000 the following year (??interest). Where is the other half a million pounds?

2. Why have no accounts been submitted that could answer everyone's questions and which are required by law and which have been specifically requested by the Charity Commission following the complaint in 2006?

3. The trustees informed the Charity Commission that they would be winding up the company. What was £2600 spent on? Is this financial or investment services - nobody knows because there are no accounts.

As I said, these will take anyone from the council who attended the meeting just a few minutes to answer, and this forum is an entirely appropriate place to do so.

We all eagerly await the explanations.

From Dave H
Tuesday, 21 April 2009

As the most current minutes from the Hebden Royd Council meetings available online are still from back in January (before this issue was discussed), again, could someone from the council take a brief moment to answer the simple questions posed?

Many thanks.

From Cllr Chris Sawer
Saturday, 25 April 2009

Dave - perfect timing. I have just received the agenda for this week's Hebden Royd Town Council meeting (Wednesday 29 April), and we are due to receive an update on the swimming pool progress and discuss the level of HRTC involvement.

We will also be discussing the council website, which may address the other point alluded to in your message.

I hope any interested members of the public are able to attend the meeting, at 7:30 in the Town Hall in Hebden Bridge. The swimming pool discussion is the first main item on the agenda.

From Ron Taylor
Monday, 18 May 2009

Can anyone enlighten us as to what happened at the meeting of April 29th ?

From Janet Oosthuysen
Wednesday, 10 June 2009

Sorry to be so tardy in posting this but since Cllr Gabbi and I are the Town Council reps. on the Swimming Pool Association board I thought Id update those who don’t know the latest.

As someone who hasn’t been involved in all the long long history, I’m wary of getting it wrong but was asked by various people to put questions to Dorothy Sutcliffe at the meeting of the Town Council on 29th April. This I did. One of the main worries was "missing" money. This seems, from what Dorothy said, to be in the budget - certainly the balance suggested it at nearly £1m. The building and business plans (as far as they were seen) were analysed and concerns raised by other councillors too.

Main concerns were:

1. A short fall of £300,000 in what was wanted for these plans. Funding applications have been put in to make up the short fall. Work will not start until this money was secured.

2. The viability of the swimming pool, when many pools don’t make it - it was felt that with community support and school support, it would break even.

3. Membership fees - no amount has been set yet but it was suggested that those entitled to free passes would still get them

4. Membership of committee - Council was asked for representatives to go on the board. This is part of an attempt at openness and transparency.

5. The SWA although using Mytholmroyd Community Centre land will be a separate entity.

With the information I had, and with only partial knowledge of what had gone before, I was satisfied with the answers. Cllr Gabbi and I will do our best to keep you all informed.

Previously, on the Hebweb

Victorial Road former swimming pool site
- questions and developments (October 2006 - Jan 2007)

Forum thread, Jan-Feb 2007