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Renewed Ashby Ville warden calls as warnings issued over open water swimming
There have been renewed calls from the opposition Labour group on North Lincolnshire Council for wardens at Ashby Ville Nature Reserve.
Newly elected Ashby Lakeside ward Cllrs Max Bell and Judith Matthews have called for them during the summer months after water tragedies elsewhere in England. Cllr Bell has also accused the Conservative-run council of a “continual refusal to act”.
In response, council leader Cllr Rob Waltham has accused the Labour councillors of making “cheap, political gains”. He highlighted council actions including new fencing this year at Ashby Ville and again funding free swimming sessions for kids at public pools this Summer.
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Safety at the former quarry site of Ashby Ville was much debated by councillors last year. An extraordinary meeting was held on Thursday, August 11, where Labour proposed a permanent warden to deter would-be swimmers.
This was rejected by the Conservative ruling group, who passed a motion favouring a more holistic approach. Three days later, a man was airlifted to hospital from the nature reserve in a serious condition.
Passions ran high when the topic was raised again at council meetings in September and October. Labour Cllr Tony Gosling walked out of a meeting and Cllr Andrea Davison went so far as to suggest the council had “blood on its hands” over not installing a permanent warden.
Cllrs Bell and Matthews have repeated warden calls, though modified to having them in the summer months. “Already several families elsewhere in the country have lost their loved ones to accidents in open water, we know this stretch of water is particularly perilous and as part of every councillors’ safeguarding role we call on North Lincolnshire Council to put wardens in place to help safeguard our community,” said Cllr Matthews.
On May 24, 19-year-old Elvicia Neely and 21-year-old Muhammed Batchilly sadly died at High Eske Nature Reserve in East Yorkshire. In 2021, 14-year-old Kai Gardner-Pugh tragically died at Ashby Ville.
Since the events in East Yorkshire, there has been a sustained social media campaign by North Lincolnshire Council and Humberside Fire and Rescue to warn people not to swim in open water. The council posted seven times each on Facebook and Twitter between May 26 and June 4 about the dangers of open water swimming.
“When Judith and I speak to residents, safety at Ashby Ville is raised as a major concern,” said Cllr Bell. “But disappointingly, the number of people sadly losing their lives or being seriously injured at Ashby Ville in recent years has been unacceptably high.
“Introducing wardens at peak time is a vital step the Conservative-controlled council must take to keep people safe. But if their continual refusal to act leads to another fatality or injury – the blood on their hands will be there for all to see.”
“It is terrible that these Labour councillors would use the tragic deaths of others elsewhere in the country for cheap, political gains and to make poorly informed accusations,” Cllr Waltham responded. “A series of measures have been put in place at Ashby Ville to help people protect themselves from the risk of open water swimming, new fencing has been built, patrols have been stepped up and we are strengthening the powers available to the council to fine people for swimming.
“The dangers are all too clear, the signage spells out the risks and they are clearly understood. We will continue to take action to make people aware of these risks at Lakeside, as we were at the weekend when officers, with partners from the police and fire service, were out and about.
“However, ultimately we have to rely on personal responsibility, throughout North Lincolnshire there are miles of rivers and watercourses, the message is clear – don’t take the risk, don’t swim. The council funds free swimming for young people in the summer holidays, we promised to do that and we will keep that promise.”
The approach the Conservatives voted in favour of last August included working with partners to raise awareness of the risks. They also agreed to create a new model to enforce Public Space Protection Orders (PSPOs) on swimming in open water.
At present, a £100 fixed penalty notice can only be issued for open water swimming if a person swims after being requested by a police or council officer not to do so. A consultation was held in Spring to change the open water PSPO wording to:
- “No entry into open water in North Lincolnshire for diving, jumping, paddling or swimming, unless part of a recognised open water swimming club and with landowner’s permission.”
The council’s PSPOs will be up for renewal in late 2024. What is continuing is the council’s Summer holiday free swimming sessions for kids offer.
The sessions will take place at The Pods in Scunthorpe, Ancholme Leisure Centre in Brigg, Axholme North Leisure Centre in Crowle, Baysgarth Community Hub in Barton-upon-Humber, Riddings Community Hub in Scunthorpe and at Epworth Swimming Pool.
“The sessions are a brilliant way for kids to have fun with their friends in a secure environment with trained lifeguards to help them stay safe,” said Cllr Julie Reed, cabinet member for children, families and communities. Last year, the free swimming sessions known as Summer DAZE saw over 7,200 children take part.
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