Subsidy pledge for pool 'undermined' in report

The pool's subsidy is in place until March 2025, with an option to extend it for a year

Ministerial assurances providing "certainty" over the future of a Isle of Man regional swimming pool have been "undermined" by a report, the facility's board has said.

An updated document on the affordability of the facilities confirmed the Southern Swimming Pool's annual subvention of £434,000 would continue to March 2025.

But chairman Laurence Vaughan-Williams said that was "devastating" as it "weakened" a pledge made by the chief and education minister in April for guaranteed funding until 2030.

The Department of Education, Sport and Culture (DESC) has been contacted for a comment.

In January, the department had recommended the pool close due to shortfall in subsidies for regional facilities.

But the Castletown pool was given a year-long reprieve by the government following the presentation of a "survival plan" by the board, local authority representatives and politicians.

After a meeting in April with Chief Minister Alfred Cannan and Education Minister Daphne Caine the board said it was grateful to have received assurances the subsidies would be extended until a new facility was built at a nearby school, unless it faced a "catastrophic failure".

'Emergency planning'

Mr Vaughan-Williams said this had provided a "clear timeline", but the change in stance in the report had eroded the "the comfort" previously given to the community.

The board said it had been forced to return to short-term emergency planning, which was "suboptimal both service and cost-wise" as it meant uncertainty for staff and the undertaking of maintenance works.

"Weakening this commitment means a significant portion of the island’s residents will be deprived of easy access to a pool," it added.

The updated version of the document examining the feasibility of the island's regional pools becoming part of local hubs is set to be debated in Tynwald next week.

Additional reporting by Emma Draper, Local Democracy Reporter.