Chancellor of the Exchequer Jeremy Hunt commented on the funding and praised the importance of swimming pools to local communities.
“Rising bills are hitting us all hard and community pools have been thrown in at the deep end. I know they are loved by millions of people,” he said. “This vital lifeline will keep them afloat.”
We know that rising energy costs combined with chemical shortages and staff lock-up have created a challenging landscape for the public leisure sector.
We have been able to track this in real-time through our Moving Communities service, along with participation data for various activities, to understand the broader social value generated from activities in these vital community facilities.
Efforts by local authorities and their service providers to share this data were an integral part of the funding decision and have created a positive change that can continue to show the impact of the further development of these centres.
To build a sustainable sector, we have worked with key industry stakeholders to produce the Leisure Report of the Future of the Public Sector.
The report provides an overview of the current landscape and outlines a model direction that will enable the sector to create a more sustainable future.
More information on how local authorities can apply for funding and detailed eligibility criteria will be made available in due course.
Comments are closed.