Glimmer of hope for Gateshead Leisure Centre and Birtley Swimming Baths
Jeremy Hunt is announcing funding for swimming pools in his budget
There's a glimmer of hope for Birtley Swimming baths and Gateshead Leisure Centre.
As we know they're ear-marked for closure with a consultation ending in May.
But Jeremy Hunt's budget tomorrow is going to confirm £63 million pounds will be made available to leisure centres with pools - to try and keep them open.
Local authorities will have to apply for the funding.
More info here:
The Chancellor will announce £63 million of new money will be made available to leisure centres with pools in a one-year-fund, as part of this year’s Spring Budget.
There are more than 2,000 public leisure centres in England, over 800 of which have pools. They’re important community hubs where children learn to swim, and everyone from babies to grandparents can keep fit and active. The government is stepping-up to safeguard the long term future of leisure centres with pools after concerns some may need to close or reduce opening hours due to rising costs.
Leisure centres with swimming pools, many of which were built in the last century, are responsible for up to 40% of local authority carbon footprints. This is due to the need for pools to be heated to safe temperatures. Following Putin’s illegal invasion of Ukraine, public pools have also faced additional short term cost pressures.
Chancellor of the Exchequer, Jeremy Hunt said:
“Soaring bills are hitting us all hard, and community pools have been thrown in the deep end. I know they are loved by millions of people. This vital lifeline will keep them afloat.”
The Chancellor is making money available to help with costs to make these essential local hubs more energy efficient. £40 million of the fund will be made available for investment in decarbonisation and long term energy efficiency.
Over £20 million is also being made available in grants to leisure centres with pools facing immediate cost pressures including operational and maintenance costs, and energy bills.
Applications for funding will need to be made by local authorities, where Sport England will manage the process. Funding will be awarded following a competitive bidding process.
Council-run pools, and pools run on behalf of councils by private companies and charities are also eligible for support.
Culture Secretary, Lucy Frazer said:
"It is essential that children have the opportunity to learn water safety skills and adults of all ages can benefit from maintaining an active lifestyle too.
"During the pandemic we secured the survival and reopening of more than 1100 swimming pools from a bespoke £100 million National Leisure Recovery Fund. This formed part of our unprecedented support for sports and leisure services worth £1 billion. More recently pools and leisure centres have also benefited from our £18 billion package to help organisations navigate rising energy prices.
"We are now stepping in to safeguard our nation's public swimming pools, providing them with support for a sustainable future that will help ensure that generations to come can take the plunge."
Tim Hollingsworth, Chief Executive, Sport England said:
“This is a significant and welcome amount of support from the Government that will offer a lifeline to many public leisure centres across England as well as help sustain them into the future.
“Swimming pools play a vital role in our communities and are enormously important in helping people to be physically active in their daily lives.
“We know how difficult the present situation is and have been working hard to ensure these providers get the support they need. We’ll now turn our efforts to supporting the process in the weeks ahead to distribute the funding made available today to ensure it goes where it is needed the most."
Cllr Gerald Vernon-Jackson, Chair of the Culture, Tourism and Sport Board at Local Government Association, said:
“We are pleased the Government has recognised the importance of our public pools to the nation’s health, our communities, and the safety of our children.
“Councils and pool operators have worked hard to keep them open for as long as possible in the face of rising energy costs but have been warning that without investment we would have seen a large number of closures. This funding will enable us to keep the doors open, and also continue the transformation of our pools to an energy efficient future that offers a lasting legacy for communities.
“We look forward to working with the Government and Sport England to ensure support reaches all those in need”
Jane Nickerson, Chief Executive Officer, Swim England said:
“We welcome this intervention, which is an important recognition of the incredibly challenging situation currently facing swimming pools and their value to local communities.
“The financial support announced will undoubtedly make a difference for a number of vulnerable pools as they battle with increased energy costs. We will continue to monitor the situation going forward and seek to work with the government to put swimming pools on a sustainable long-term footing to support the health and wellbeing of the nation.
“Pool owners and operators are committed to reducing the carbon emissions and there have been many positive examples from across the country. This decarbonisation funding will help more pools to become more environmentally sustainable.”
Andy Taylor, Chief Executive Officer, Active Partnerships said:
“We welcome the Chancellors response to the sectors collective calls for support to these essential community facilities to help relieve the immediate cost pressures and help make them more sustainable and energy efficient longer term. These facilities are vital to support peoples wellbeing, ensuring all communities can benefit from the mental and physical benefits being active provides”
Tara Dillon, CEO, Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity (CIMSPA) said:
“We are delighted that the Chancellor has responded to the sector's collective calls for support in the face of high energy costs. This money will be vitally important in helping these essential community facilities to get through the current energy cost crisis, as well as enabling them to become more energy efficient in the longer term. It also shows a welcome commitment to the health and wellbeing of the millions of people who rely on these facilities each day.”
Lisa Wainwright MBE, Chief Executive Officer, Sport and Recreation Alliance said:
"This is hugely positive news for the sector at a time when it is under immense strain from rising energy costs.
We are extremely pleased the sector's collective voice has been heard and the funding announced by the Chancellor will help make sure vital community facilities can continue to keep people active and support the nation's health and wellbeing. It is also a welcome recognition of the importance of sport, recreation and physical activity and the benefits it brings to our communities.
We will support Government and sector partners to make sure this money gets to where it is needed as quickly as possible."
Mo Baines, Chief Executive, the Association for Public Service Excellence said:
“Communities across the Country love their local swimming pools and this money will certainly make a big splash in council coffers by helping to keep pools open and safe during the current pressures on energy bill.
“In the longer term it will also make these much loved community pools more sustainable, helping us all do our bit for climate change”.
Huw Edwards, Chief Executive, ukactive said:
“We welcome the announcement of this package of financial support that will help those parts of the sector most exposed to the increase in energy prices. We will now support the Government and Sport England to channel this financial package to those facilities most at need, helping to retain services and keep facilities open. Going forward, we will continue to share sector insight with the Government to monitor future energy price trends, and work with them to ensure these facilities play their fullest role in helping improve the health and wellbeing of the nation.”