£200k to help cut pool's running costs

A leisure centre in Goldthorpe has been awarded £200k to help the pool remain open in the face of rising costs.

Barnsley Council confirmed Dearneside Leisure Centre is getting support from the second phase of the government's £60.5m Swimming Pool Support Fund announced in March.

The grants are to pay for improvements to energy efficiency and other measures to keep running costs down.

Across South Yorkshire, six pools have received awards worth a total of £1.4m in the latest round.

Kathy McArdle, service director for regeneration and culture at Barnsley Council told the Local Democracy Reporter Service: “Leisure centres are crucial in offering a safe space for residents to be physically active and improve their mental and physical health and wellbeing."

The grant for Dearneside Leisure Centre will be spent on thermostatic radiator valves and a micro-filtration system.

The centre is run by charitable trust Barnsley Premier Leisure (BPL).

Chief executive officer Michael Hirst welcomed the funding.

“The previous two years have brought significant increases to the utility costs in operating our leisure venues, and this funding will help us to continue to reduce our power consumption and carbon output."

The Swimming Pool Support Fund was announced in the government's Spring Budget in 2023 and is administered by Sport England.

Phase one funding was earmarked for pools and leisure centres most at risk of closure or a significant service reduction.

Barnsley's Metrodome received £400,000 in that round.

The second phase of funding will offer support for improvements in energy efficiency aimed at helping pools become more sustainable.

The six pools receiving support in South Yorkshire are:

• Adwick Leisure Centre, Doncaster £384,497

• Dearneside Leisure Centre, Barnsley £201,000

• King Edwards Swimming Pool £59,928

• Rotherham Leisure Complex £469,896

• Stocksbridge Community Leisure Centre £220,424

• Zest Sheffield £22,688.