Saved swimming pools set for £10m repairs

Two swimming pools saved from closure after protests and a political row, could get a £10m refurbishment.

Park Pool in Ormskirk and Nye Bevan Pool in Skelmersdale were kept open after West Lancashire opposition councillors won a narrow vote.

The council's ruling Labour group had reluctantly recommended the two pools should be closed to balance the authority's budget. Three Labour councillors became independents over the issue.

A survey of the two sites has been carried out and councillors are being asked to approve, in principle, ringfencing £10.5m for essential repairs.

A report for this week's full council which meets later acknowledges the pools' importance to the community, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

"The pools support a range of activity for residents across the borough, including schools and clubs," the report said.

"For many users, particularly children and families, these provide local access to swimming and exercise that forms part of regular weekly activity."

It said some people could access alternative facilities but "others face barriers with distance, cost, transport or scheduling" with schools and organised groups particularly affected.

Therefore, it said, any essential repairs programme would be "focused on reducing the likelihood of sudden or unplanned loss of service".

If agreed, the £10.5m would come from the borough's community infrastructure levy (CIL), paid by housing developers towards local amenities.

The report suggested some early repairs over the next three years.

At Park Pool, these include replacing old circulation equipment, tackling under-croft supports and pipework defects.

At Nye Bevan pool, suggestions include pipework, equipment supports, circulation parts, electrical controls, boilers and air heating units.

Both "energy intensive" pools required "continuous heating, ventilation and humidity control", officers concluded, adding: "Both pools were designed at a time when energy efficiency and carbon performance were not primary considerations."

A top council officer will prepare fully-costed estimates if councillors agree.

Former Labour councillors Neil Furey, Paul Hogan and Kerry Lloyd left the Labour party in December 2024 to become independents over the plans to close the pools.

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