One of the great things about swimming is that it is a sport potentially accessible to all walks of life and all ages. It is fantastic for physical and mental health, lowers the risk of obesity and general disease and supports the body in all forms of rehabilitation. I understand how important it is for swimmers, whether elite or beginner, young or old, to have access to a local pool, and I consider reports of reduced access to facilities extremely seriously.
Sport England has invested over £12.7 million in swimming and diving projects since April 2019, which includes over £9.3 million to Swim England. This is in addition to the £100 million National Leisure Recovery Fund, which supported the reopening of local authority swimming pools throughout the country after the pandemic.
In the Spring Budget 2023, I was delighted that the Government announced new funding of over £60 million for public swimming pools in England for 2023/24. The fund is providing over £20 million in support to public swimming pool providers who are facing immediate cost burdens, as a result of high operating pressures, as the first step to a more efficient sector. This funding also includes £40 million for longer-term capital investments in renovations to make facilities more sustainable and energy-efficient.
This fund is addressing the immediate financial challenges facing public swimming pool providers, and providing longer-term capital investments to make facilities more sustainable and energy-efficient.
This funding aligns with the Government’s objective to boost activity levels by ensuring that communities can continue to access facilities.