Pool 'survival plan' created to prevent closure

The Department of Education, Sport and Culture had recommended that the southern pool close on 31 March

A "survival plan" for a community pool in the south of the Isle of Man, which is under threat of closure by the government, has been supported by the area's local authorities.

Political members, commissioners and representatives of the Southern Swimming Pool on the Isle of Man have met to discuss facility's future.

It follows a recommendation by the Department of Education, Sport and Culture (Desc) to close the pool in March due to rising costs.

The plan to keep the subvention static, drafted by Rushen MHK Juan Watterson, will be presented to the department.

Desc said the proposed closure was due to a shortfall in the subsidies available to keep all of the island's regional pools open.

An annual government subvention of about £1.7m is paid to sustain the sites, which are run by local authorities in the north, south and west.

Tynwald members will be asked to back the closure at the February sitting of the parliament.

'Inaccurate and incomplete'

Thursday evening's meeting heard the plan was "designed to keep the pool running until a new facility, including a swimming pool is constructed as part of the redevelopment of Castle Rushen High School".

It was based on the subvention remaining at the same level as previous years, with local authorities increasing their contributions for the running of the pool.

A report from Desc and the Department of Infrastructure stated that the Southern Swimming Pool was running at a £220,000 deficit.

However that figure was disputed by the Southern Swimming Pool's board, which presented its own budget to the department that "didn't match" the one that appeared in report, the meeting was told.

The board have labelled the report "flawed, inaccurate and incomplete", and has called for a revision to be made ahead of its presentation to Tynwald.

Rushen MHK Michelle Haywood, who took part in the meeting, said it had made "a clear call to the department to show a can-do attitude to supporting the pool for the next few years until a replacement is ready to go”.