Southern Swimming Pool: Planned closure criticised by local MHKs

The Southern Swimming Pool is one of three local authority run facilities on the island

A plan to close a public swimming pool in the south of the Isle of Man has been strongly criticised.

The Department of Education, Sport and Culture (DESC) has confirmed it intends to seek Tynwald approval to shut the Southern Swimming Pool.

It is due to a shortfall in the subsidies available to keep all of the region's pools open.

Rushen MHK Michelle Haywood said she was "furious" and pledged to fight against the pool's closure.

Along with fellow Rushen MHK Juan Watterson, she said she intended to meet with the pool board and representatives of all the southern local authorities next week.

She said they were "angry and upset" and felt the South was "getting a really rough ride", adding that the pool was important to the local community.

Ms Haywood said it was vital to teach island children to swim, and the loss would see it take too much of the school day to transport them to another pool.

'Difficult situation'

An annual government subvention of about £1.1m is paid to prop up the island's three sites, run by local authorities in the south, north, and west.

A previous review found finances at the Castletown facility were "critical" after "years of underinvestment", and Tynwald tasked the department to investigate the idea of regional sport hubs.

The report is due to be published on Monday, with Tynwald asked to back the closure in February.

The DESC has said the decision had been taken due to the "a number of factors, including its age, condition and loan-free status".

The move would save the department £434,000 a year and "allow it to support the remaining pools within budget", it said.

DESC Minister Julie Edge said it was a "very difficult situation" but there was not "enough money to maintain the status quo in this extremely challenging financial climate".

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