Gateshead leisure centres: NE's only synchro-swim club at risk

Gateshead Synchronised Swimming Club said it might have to close

The North East's only synchronised swimming club says it could fold if the pool where it trains has to close.

Dunston Leisure Centre is one of two deemed unaffordable by Gateshead Council.

Gateshead Synchronised Swimming Club is the only one north of Leeds and attracts swimmers from Teesside, Northumberland and across the region.

Campaigners trying to save the leisure centres are to ask Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove to intervene.

The council cast doubt over the futures of Gateshead Leisure Centre in Saltwell and the Dunston facility when it described them as the "least sustainable and therefore more at risk".

Club treasurer Donna Robinson said: "If this place shuts we will probably fold as a club because we won't be able to find pool time elsewhere.

"We need the depth of Dunston - it's almost four metres deep - and they need that depth because they need to do all of this performance under the water and in shallower pools we can get injured."

The club's chair, Lena McLelland, said the centre was well used and she "could not believe the council are even considering" closing it.

"I cannot understand why on earth they want to close such a brilliant facility when we have all these health issues within Gateshead," she said.

Club treasurer Donna Robinson said synchronised swimmers require the depth of Dunstone's pool

Saltwell councillor, and Gateshead's deputy mayor, Robert Waugh said he would "explore every single opportunity" to save the centres.

He has started a petition pleading with the government to "give Gateshead the money it needs to save these vital services".

Mr Waugh told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: "The [council] report says it is seeking closures and I think, unless there is a drastic change, hopefully from the levelling up secretary, it is going to be hard to come up with another option." 

The council said user numbers were still below pre-Covid levels and the rising cost of heating, maintaining and staffing the centres was unaffordable.

It is predicting a £55m shortfall in its budget over the next five years and expects it will need double the £2.2m it calculated was needed for leisure services this financial year.

The council's Labour leader, Martin Gannon, said: "As much as we love these centres, and as much as we would like to keep them, the financial circumstances dictate that we have to ensure that the council has a balanced and sustainable budget."

Customers of Gateshead Leisure Centre said it was well used

Users of Gateshead Leisure Centre are also opposed to the proposed cut backs.

"It's really well used by families. All ages come here," Nihad Cehic told the BBC.

Corrine Davidson, said it was essential for children and families as there "isn't enough places for them to go anyway".

A decision on the centres, and on the sports hall at Birtley Leisure Centre, is due in January.

Council opposition leaders said the closures were "not a done deal yet" and urged people to respond to the consultation.

Gateshead Council blamed its current financial situation on "years and years of budget cuts".

But a government spokesperson said it had "provided an unprecedented £1bn to ensure the survival of the grassroots, professional sport and leisure sectors during the pandemic" on top of an additional £16m it had given the council compared to last year.