Sea Donkey urges saving of Guernsey bathing pools diving board
'Prohibitive' measures
It said the maximum depth of the water below the diving platform was 2.75m (9ft) which did not meet the 3.2m (10.5ft) minimum depth required by the World Aquatics and British Standards.The States of Guernsey said it considered increasing the depth of the pool, but the estimated £1m cost to do so was "prohibitive".It added: "Even if work was carried out to increase the depth of the pool, regulations from World Aquatics, the UK Health and Safety Executive and Swim England also state that users of any diving platform should be supervised at all times and that the diving area should be segregated from other swimmers. "Other options were considered including reducing its height, however, again this would still require continual supervision by lifeguards and segregation of the diving area, which was also considered to be prohibitive due to the cost of hiring the necessary staff."
'Lack of transparency'
Mr Sarchet said he understood the board would be removed on Tuesday 11 February.He said "there was a lack of transparency" around the decision after only being made aware of the plans on Thursday."I hope we can encourage HSE or at least the politicians they answer to, to postpone the planned removal of the diving board on Tuesday 11 February and to engage with the public on the perceived risks and potential solutions that do not involve the destruction of our shared heritage," Mr Sarchet said.HSE chief officer Robin Gonard said: "In light of the assessment we carried out, our decision was that immediate action needs to be taken to ensure compliance with modern safety standards to protect members of our community by avoiding the risk of serious injury or worse."
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Guardian
10-07-2025
- The Guardian
Lead ammunition to be banned for hunting and shooting in England, Scotland and Wales
Shotgun pellets and bullets that contain lead are to be banned for almost all uses, ministers have said, in a long-awaited announcement welcomed by wildlife groups. The restrictions will be phased in over three years from 2026, rather than the five set out in an official report last year, prompting some shooting organisations to say replacement ammunition may not be fully available in time. The change to the law, announced by the environment minister Emma Hardy, will outlaw shotgun pellets containing more than 1% lead, and bullets that have more than 3%. Ammunition using lead has long been identified as a significant pollutant and a particular risk to waterbirds. The Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust (WWT) estimates that about 100,000 waterbirds in the UK die every year from lead poisoning. The ban is 'a huge day for wildlife, particularly the migratory waterbirds who call our wetlands their home', said the WWT. Campaigners say birds often eat discarded lead pellets, confusing them for seeds or grit. A 2022 report found 99.5% of pheasants killed using shotgun pellets contained lead, showing that previous efforts to persuade shooters to voluntarily use different ammunition types had achieved little. The ban, which will apply in England, Scotland and Wales, follows recommendations in December last year by the Health and Safety Executive, which said lead ammunition should be phased out over five years. The HSE proposals followed a public consultation. The British Association for Shooting and Conservation (BASC) said it backed the overall change, but disagreed with the recommended timetable being shortened by two years. The three-year transition was happening on the assumption that the ammunition was readily available, Terry Behan from the BASC said. 'That is not the case for commercial and supply reasons beyond our sector's control. We urge government to adhere to a five-year timescale proposed by the Health and Safety Executive.' Tim Bonner, the chief executive of the Countryside Alliance, said his organisation also backed the wider change, while saying the shorter transition period would be 'challenging for ammunition manufacturers'. He said: 'This is an important step for the future of shooting, which will benefit the countryside and rural economy. The alliance has long advocated a move away from lead ammunition, which is necessary and beneficial.' Hardy said: 'Britain is a proud nation of nature lovers, but our rivers are heavily polluted, and majestic birds are declining at an alarming rate. This new ban on lead in ammunition for most uses will help reverse this – rejuvenating pride in our countryside by protecting precious birdlife and cleaning up rivers. 'Non-lead alternatives are readily available, and we'll continue to work closely with the shooting sector throughout this transition.' James Robinson, the head of birdlife charity the RSPB, said: 'Long known to be a poison, we have campaigned for decades to have lead ammunition removed from use. This move, whilst long overdue and stopping short of a full ban, will mean that Britain will become a safer place for millions of birds and other wildlife.' There is an exemption for the outdoor shooting of permitted birds and animals using small-calibre bullets, because of a lack of suitable non-lead alternatives. Also exempt are airguns, and ammunition used by elite athletes, the military, police and in outdoor target shooting ranges with risk management measures.
The Guardian
10-07-2025
- The Guardian
Lead ammunition to be banned for hunting and shooting in England, Scotland and Wales
Shotgun pellets and bullets that contain lead are to be banned for almost all uses, ministers have said, in a long-awaited announcement welcomed by wildlife groups. The restrictions will be phased in over three years from 2026, rather than the five set out in an official report last year, prompting some shooting organisations to say replacement ammunition may not be fully available in time. The change to the law, announced by the environment minister Emma Hardy, will outlaw shotgun pellets containing more than 1% lead, and bullets that have more than 3%. Ammunition using lead has long been identified as a significant pollutant and a particular risk to waterbirds. The Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust (WWT) estimates that about 100,000 waterbirds in the UK die every year from lead poisoning. The ban is 'a huge day for wildlife, particularly the migratory waterbirds who call our wetlands their home', said the WWT. Campaigners say birds often eat discarded lead pellets, confusing them for seeds or grit. A 2022 report found 99.5% of pheasants killed using shotgun pellets contained lead, showing that previous efforts to persuade shooters to voluntarily use different ammunition types had achieved little. The ban, which will apply in England, Scotland and Wales, follows recommendations in December last year by the Health and Safety Executive, which said lead ammunition should be phased out over five years. The HSE proposals followed a public consultation. The British Association for Shooting and Conservation (BASC) said it backed the overall change, but disagreed with the recommended timetable being shortened by two years. The three-year transition was happening on the assumption that the ammunition was readily available, Terry Behan from the BASC said. 'That is not the case for commercial and supply reasons beyond our sector's control. We urge government to adhere to a five-year timescale proposed by the Health and Safety Executive.' Tim Bonner, the chief executive of the Countryside Alliance, said his organisation also backed the wider change, while saying the shorter transition period would be 'challenging for ammunition manufacturers'. He said: 'This is an important step for the future of shooting, which will benefit the countryside and rural economy. The alliance has long advocated a move away from lead ammunition, which is necessary and beneficial.' Hardy said: 'Britain is a proud nation of nature lovers, but our rivers are heavily polluted, and majestic birds are declining at an alarming rate. This new ban on lead in ammunition for most uses will help reverse this – rejuvenating pride in our countryside by protecting precious birdlife and cleaning up rivers. 'Non-lead alternatives are readily available, and we'll continue to work closely with the shooting sector throughout this transition.' James Robinson, the head of birdlife charity the RSPB, said: 'Long known to be a poison, we have campaigned for decades to have lead ammunition removed from use. This move, whilst long overdue and stopping short of a full ban, will mean that Britain will become a safer place for millions of birds and other wildlife.' There is an exemption for the outdoor shooting of permitted birds and animals using small-calibre bullets, because of a lack of suitable non-lead alternatives. Also exempt are airguns, and ammunition used by elite athletes, the military, police and in outdoor target shooting ranges with risk management measures.
The Sun
06-07-2025
- The Sun
Warning as heat pumps could expose Brits to killer germs under Ed Miliband's green energy drive
FAMILIES will be exposed to killer germs under Ed Miliband's green heating drive, an expert is warning. The danger comes from legionella bacteria in heat pumps, a top adviser to the Net Zero Secretary has suggested. 2 Dr Matthew Aylott, who works in Red Ed's department, said cases were rare. But he added more research was needed to determine a 'disinfection strategy'. His warning came after a scathing watchdog study declared not enough was being done by the Government to reduce the risk of exposure to heat pump germs. The Health and Safety Executive study, seen by The Sun, said: 'There are concerns that these systems are susceptible to microbial contamination because they hold water at lower temperatures.' Heat pumps often keep water at about 50C to save energy. But legionella bacteria thrive between 25C and 45C — so can do so when systems are not hot enough to kill them off. Shadow Energy Secretary Claire Coutinho said: 'Red Ed seems determined to complete his mad dash to Net Zero — even if it means exposing Brits to killer germs.' The Department of Energy and Net Zero said: 'There is no evidence of more health-related issues coming from heat pumps compared to boilers.' It comes as Mr Miliband's green agenda faces a further backlash, with households being forced to pay solar farms to switch off on sunny days as the grid cannot cope. For the first time, solar operators such as EDF Renewables and Octopus Energy have been handed payments to reduce output — with the costs added to energy bills, research by the Renewable Energy Foundation revealed. Keir Starmer's deranged drive for Net Zero with eco-zealot Ed Miliband is a threat to UK's national security- here's why 2
