- Operating costs of swimming pools and leisure facilities, alongside general inflationary pressure, have increased considerably over recent months, placing swimming pools and leisure facilities at risk of closure or significant service reduction.
- That is why this Government has launched the Swimming Pool Support Fund, with swimming pools and leisure centres across England set to receive a share of £20 million Government funding – with Meadowside Leisure Centre in Burton benefitting from £97,784.00 and Uttoxeter Leisure Centre set to receive £77,057.00.
- This funding will allow people across the country to stay fit and healthy, contributing to the Government’s aim to cut obesity rates and cut waiting lists.
Kate Kniveton MP has welcomed £174,841.00 investment from the Government’s new Swimming Pool Support Fund for swimming pools and leisure centres in both Burton and Uttoxeter. Meadowside Leisure Centre in Burton is set to benefit from £97,784.00 whilst Uttoxeter Leisure Centre has been awarded £77,057.00.
Swimming is a valuable life skill for people of all ages and is extremely beneficial for people’s mental and physical wellbeing. In addition, Swim England’s latest Value of Swimming report showed that water-based activity, including swimming, helps generate social value of £2.4 billion a year.
The Government’s investment of £20 million in swimming pools and leisure facilities across England means that 196 leisure centres and swimming pools in 103 local authorities will benefit from boosted funding, supporting over 23 million swims a year.
The Swimming Pool Support Fund was first announced at the March Budget. This first £20 million of funding is going to the swimming pools and leisure centres most at risk of closure or significant service reduction, and will be used to help with the recent rise in energy costs, such as paying towards immediate maintenance costs, heating, and pool chemicals.
The Government is continuing to deliver the long-term health facilities to support opportunities for people to get fit and healthy, helping to cut obesity rates and get millions more people active.
Commenting, Kate Kniveton MP said:
“Swimming is a brilliant form of exercise and enjoyed by many people across Burton and Uttoxeter. Our local pools have even produced a much-decorated Olympian, so we know better than most the benefits swimming can bring.
“However, swimming pools and leisure facilities have struggled over recent months as operating costs have increased. It is therefore welcome that the Government is investing £174,841.00 into swimming pools across both our two towns as part of £20 million fund for swimming pools and leisure facilities in England.
“This funding will help ensure that swimming pools and leisure facilities can manage the increased operating costs so constituents can continue getting fit and healthy.”
Sports Minister, Stuart Andrew MP said:
“Leisure centres and pools are vital for millions of people to stay fit and healthy, and we know that many public swimming pools are experiencing greater pressure due to increased operating costs.
“We have heard their concerns and have stepped in to help them make ends meet with £20 million immediate relief, and a further £40 million to help improve sustainability of public swimming pools over the long term.
"This is part of our support for grassroots sports facilities with more than £400 million in order to achieve our ambitious target of getting 3.5 million more people active by 2030.”
