News

1. Introduction
This is a short update intended to bring you up to date with the implementation of the Pathway in Edinburgh. It has been issued by the Pathway Transition Board (see below for details) and is being communicated consistently throughout the 5 Edinburgh swimming clubs and also via the Scottish Swimming web site. If you have comments or questions there are contact details below in section 6.

2. Scottish Swimming report 2008
Last year Scottish Swimming commissioned a report from independent consultants Knight Kavangh & Page which set out the development of a competitive swimmer pathway in Edinburgh with full implementation in mid 2011 upon the reopening of the Royal Commonwealth Pool. The recommendations were accepted in principle by the Edinburgh swimming clubs (Warrender, Hearts, Portobello, Dunedin and Inverleith), City of Edinburgh Council, Edinburgh Leisure, Scottish Swimming and Sportscotland. The organisation - focused on the successful development of future Edinburgh swimming medal winners - will be called Edinburgh Swim Company or “ESCo”, for short (this is a working title at this stage). (NB: ESCo will be a non profit making company).

3. Pathway recommendations
The main recommendations from the KKP report accepted by ESCo were;
The 5 swimming clubs (see above) work together for the benefit of
- all swimmers in the City. 
The 5 swimming clubs are the shareholders in the Edinburgh Swim Company and will work with key partners to establish the company.
- ESCo will be the single organisation to develop swimmers through to the performance and elite level.
- Swimmers will continue to represent their primary club within all Scottish competitions.
- Edinburgh Leisure recognizes the value of swimming clubs and will facilitate access to pools including the development of a new program for the refurbished RCP giving priority access to, firstly, performance and elite swimmers and secondly, those clubs graduating swimmers to the Edin Swim Co.
- City of Edinburgh council supports Edinburgh Leisure’s policy that only the swimming clubs commited to the Pathway will benefit from priority access to RCP and other pools.

4. Progress to date
- A Pathway Transition Board has been set up and meets monthly. It consists of one member from each of the 5 Edinburgh swimming clubs and a Treasurer.
- A Pathway Steering Group has been set up and will meet quarterly. It consists of the members of the Pathway Transition Board plus one representative from each of Scottish Swimming, City of Edinburgh Council and Edinburgh Leisure.
- As stated above, the Pathway report recommended implementation from mid 2011. However, the shortage of suitable pools to train Edinburgh’s performance swimmers and the imperative to (at least) maintain existing competitive standards has resulted in accelerated implementation of an integrated training program.
- Whilst the Pathway Transition Board has moved quickly to meet the training needs of performance swimmers in the next two years, until a full business plan is prepared they are not yet in a position to support the Pathway beyond mid 2011.
- An integrated pool usage program for Edinburgh’s current Performance & Elite swimmers has been agreed with Edinburgh Leisure from 1 September onwards after RCP closure. This swimming and dry land training program is a key first step in forming ESCo as all top swimmers from the 5 clubs will start to train together. The program will be lead by coaches from the swimming clubs working in a coordinated way across the venues to ensure Edinburgh’s future swimming success is not set back by the RCP closure.
- A close relationship with Edinburgh University’s swimming program has been established. The University has recently set up its own performance program. The conversation with the University will be re opened in April to ensure that we work to find the best way forward for the Pathway and the University.

5. Next steps
- The Pathway report recommended the Edinburgh clubs become the shareholders in ESCo. The Pathway Transition Board will evolve in to an ESCo Board whilst still maintaining excellent relationships with key partners - Scottish Swimming, Edinburgh Leisure and City of Edinburgh Council.
- Short term funding from mid 2009 forward: the costs and revenues of ESCo during RCP closure are currently being modeled.
- Long term funding from RCP re opening forward: after completing the short term funding work the Board will progress to modeling the long term finances. The Pathway report included forecasts showing a clear need for substantial funding from Scottish Swimming, City of Edinburgh Council, Edinburgh Leisure and others including sponsors.
- An implementation plan: ESCo as a company has still to be formed. Coaches have still to be hired. The strategy and short term plans designed. Although the RCP re opening is scheduled for mid 2011, ESCo is totally reliant on volunteers from the clubs to get work done.

6. Pathway leadership
When ESCo is set up as a limited company (most likely as a charity) it will have 5 shareholders – the 5 Edinburgh swimming clubs. At present the Pathway Transition Board comprises one representative from each of the shareholding clubs and a Treasurer. The Chairmanship of the board rotates amongst the members – each chairing for a 3 month spell.
Dunedin Caroline Drummond
Hearts Stephen Osborne
Inverleith Cameron Watson
Portobello John MacDougall
Warrender Derek Small
The larger Pathway Steering Group meets once a quarter to ensure that key partners are informed and engaged. The Pathway Steering Group consists of the Board and Treasurer (above) plus:
Scottish Swimming Ally Whike
City of Edinburgh David Wardrop
Edinburgh Leisure Liz Atkinson

7. Contact details
The Pathway Transition Board believe that the implementation of the Pathway will both -
improve Edinburgh’s swimmers medal chances in future international competitions
and enhance the sustainability, viability and attractiveness of the club structure in Edinburgh.
We would like to hear your views on the Pathway. So please contact your Club’s Board member.
Pathway Transition Board
March, 2009