Closure of leisure centres will 'put lives at risk'

James Upjohn said swimming is part of the national curriculum and a vital life skill

Concerned residents have said a council decision to potentially close two "valuable" leisure centres will "put lives at risk".

The Park Pool in Ormskirk and Nye Bevan Swimming Pool in Skelmersdale could be at risk of permanent closure if councillors do not come up with alternative options amid spiralling development costs.

West Lancashire councillors have been told proposals for new leisure centres in both areas, along with a £3m scheme to refurbish Burscough sports centre, are at a £13m shortfall.

James Upjohn, a former independent West Lancashire councillor, said swimming was an "essential life skill".

He said: "No cost can ever be put on a child's safety, and to take away the opportunity for swimming lessons is to put our children’s lives at risk."

Ashley Dalton, Labour MP for West Lancashire, said she had been assured the closures would be a "temporary measure".

Nye Bevan has been in Skelmersdale for more than 50 years

SHARES, which represents 23 primary schools in West Lancashire, told Mr Upjohn that Nye Bevan was "essential" and provided swimming lessons for 38 weeks a year, five days a week, and without it "schools cannot meet the national swimming curriculum".

He said there was no "plan B" due to there being no facilities available in neighbouring boroughs that could accommodate schools.

A report by the council’s deputy chief executive said the local authority had approved a series of reports to support the development to replace Nye Bevan and Park Pool centres and planning had been approved.

But it said there had been "concerns over the potential financial viability of the new hubs for some time".

'Committed to investment'

Financial challenges have included significant increases in construction costs from £36.6m in 2021, to an estimated £49m.

Residents will gather outside West Lancashire's next full council meeting on 16 October to voice their concerns.

Ashley Dalton, Labour MP for West Lancashire, said in a Skelmersdale Facebook that she has met with council leader, councillor, Yvonne Gagen to discuss the closures and had been assured that "this is in effect a temporary measure".

Ms Dalton said the council had informed her that children’s swimming lesson services would be temporarily transferred to other facilities in nearby boroughs.

West Lancashire Council said they remain committed to investment in its leisure facilities after approving £3.188m of funding for the refurbishment of Burscough Wellbeing & Leisure Hub, which will be open to the public in early 2025.

They said they were also continuing plans to build two new state-of-the-art leisure facilities within the borough.

A petition has gathered more 3,500 signatures so far to stop the closure of two leisure facilities.