Milton Keynes residents called upon to save swimming pool's future

Officials are calling on the public to help them in their fight to secure the long-term future of a Milton Keynes swimming pool and fitness centre.
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Middleton Swimming Pool and Fitness Centre, in Newport Pagnell, has reopened despite the financial challenges caused by the coronavirus lockdown.

Newport Pagnell Town Council (NPC), which runs the facility, said supporting the pool has had a significant impact on funds, and the council now want to see the leisure centre fully utilised to 'ensure future finances'.

Town mayor Paul Day said: “The town swimming pool is an outstanding local facility that supports fitness and swimming skills. The consequences of the pandemic lockdown have had a major impact on our operating finances, but we have managed to reopen the facility and are determined to fight for its long-term future.

Middleton Swimming Pool and Fitness CentreMiddleton Swimming Pool and Fitness Centre
Middleton Swimming Pool and Fitness Centre

"We need the local people to support the pool and fitness centre by using it."

The mayor said the council does have financial reserves to dip into but the funds 'are going to be exhausted' by the pool's losses.

He said this is expected to 'increase the annual precept' - meaning council tax could go up for residents - that funds all of the council’s activity, but that the authority will do its 'very best to minimize the financial impact on our residents'.

An NPC spokesperson said both the pool and the adjoining fitness centre are now fully open, but even after taking into account the changes for Covid-secure measures, usage is significantly below capacity.

The spokesperson said: "Across the country many such centres are now closed indefinitely and the reopening in Newport Pagnell is testament to the determination of the town council to protect this much-loved facility.

"We believe that ultimately national government has a duty to ensure all councils can continue to fund locally managed public services and facilities. Based on current information, financial losses at the pool this year could be as much as £350,000 or more if there is a second lockdown of leisure facilities in this area.

"Losses of such an amount will be met through using the town council’s financial reserves and from funding secured from other sources."

The town council said it has already secured a £25,000 grant from Milton Keynes Council (MKC) to assist with the loss of income at the pool. The grant was from money provided to Milton Keynes by central government to deal with losses because of the pandemic lockdown.

The spokesperson said: "Though the grant money is welcomed, this is a small proportion of the overall cost for a facility that services people from across the borough. NPC would like to see a greater contribution from MKC, and this council also remains concerned about the financial impact of a second period of closure if there is another wave of infections."