Solar power funding to help keep pool's lights on

Hetton Community Pool has been awarded £410,000

A £410,000 grant will help a leisure centre to keep its pool heated and the lights on.

Hetton Community Pool and Wellness Centre in Hetton-le-Hole is becoming part-solar powered in a drive to cut energy bills and improve the building's carbon footprint.

The funding from Sport England will be used to install solar panels and more LED lights around the council-run venue.

Sunderland City Council's Gerry Taylor said: "It isn't just households that have seen their energy bills rise in recent years."

The council is currently working towards a carbon neutral plan for the city.

Ms Taylor said the grant would fund an "invest to save" project and allow for energy saving measures at the site.

"Installing solar panels and more LED lights will save on energy bills and cut carbon emissions," she added.

"This in turn helps the environment by lowering our carbon footprint, helps with the longer-term plan for going carbon neutral, helps save money for leisure and sports centre users and for all council tax payers."

Sport England executive director Lisa Dodd-Mayne said she hoped funding from the organisation would enable pools to remain open.

Highlighting the "vital" importance of leisure centres in keeping people active, she added: "Many pools have faced a real and significant threat to their survival this year, as local authorities and operators have battled the challenge of increased energy and wider costs, weakened reserves and difficulties with retaining staff."