Ormskirk and Skelmersdale pools face closure as council cites lack of Government funding and budget constraints
Park Pool and Nye Bevan Pool could shut by March’s end. Council officers advise this move and will meet next Wednesday to discuss the budget. The report says closure is the only way to create the savings the council needs.
Ten schools use Park Pool to teach swimming, including five vulnerable groups. Nye Bevan Pool serves 24 schools, plus eleven vulnerable groups. Both pools serve many older people.
Park Pool has 1,312 fitness and 1,049 swimming members, while Nye Bevan has 809 fitness members and 495 swimming members.
The pool issue made people protest and divided local council members. Some leading councillors want closures, blaming money problems, years of government cuts, and the age of the pools. Refurbishing Burscough Leisure Hub shows commitment, and the council says they will explore future options.
Original plans to replace the pools failed due to increased costs and now they need new ideas. Some Labour councillors disagree; they want replacements first and then became independent members. Other groups, like Our West Lancashire (OWL), also oppose closures.
The council debated the pools issue before; next week’s budget vote could be close. Opposition groups, including OWL and Conservatives, can suggest plans. The council report mentions a public survey where people wanted all options explored carefully to prevent closures.
The report states lobbying the government failed since the minister confirmed no funds are available and councils must manage existing budgets. Moreover, it notes that further savings are not possible, these include other non-essential services that the council is not required to provide.
The report mentions the pool visitor numbers, stating that the centers are old and in poor condition. Numbers cannot increase enough to fix the money problems, as membership is going down and has recently dropped again. Income fell by ten thousand pounds.
Raising prices would not help enough and might decrease use, says the report. Furthermore, gym memberships might need to rise considerably; this assumes no one cancels due to the increased cost. They need alternatives for swimming lessons and will still offer sports and gyms in Burscough, with other local gyms also available nearby.
The Skem First group continues to campaign and Dave Beeston said the fight is not over. The vote of 23 Labour councillors is important, as they have a small lead on the council vote. He also mentioned missing money from a report at a recent meeting; the missing £1 million affects the budget plans.