Wakefield swimming pools and sports centres under threat over soaring heating costs, council chief warns

The local authority blamed a lack of government support for placing the district’s leisure services under threat.

On Tuesday, the government announced that it would scale back its energy support scheme from April to focus on the heavy energy-using sector.

That currently does not include the leisure sector.

Wakefield Council have released a statement titled: ‘Reduced energy bills support could pull the plug on pools and leisure’.

Michael Graham, the council’s cabinet member for culture leisure and sport, said: “The support announced by government this week could put leisure centres in jeopardy and runs the real risk of pulling the plug on pools.

“If the government is genuinely committed, as it says it is, to encouraging people to be physically active and reducing pressure on the NHS, it must provide more support for our leisure centres and pools.”

The energy costs of running Wakefield district’s leisure centres could be as high as £1.9m in 2023/24, almost four times the cost compared to 2021/22.

The council operates pools and sports facilities at six sites: Sun Lane, in the city centre, Thornes Park Stadium, Aspire@The Park, in Pontefract, Featherstone Sports Complex, Normanton Leisure and Minsthorpe Leisure.

The council is looking at ways to help reduce costs at its leisure centres, including a new de-carbonisation scheme at Normanton to ensure the centre is less reliant on energy from the national grid.

Coun Graham added: “We urge the government to act now, and give councils the support needed with the energy bills for all their local services.

“Now, more than ever, we need our services to be affordable and stay open and provide the essential services that residents need during the cost-of-living crisis.”

Last month, three leisure centres in Kirklees were temporarily shut for winter due to rising costs.

Residents and leisure centre users protested following the decision to close facilities at Batley Baths and Recreation Centre, Deighton Sports Arena, Huddersfield and Colne Valley Leisure Centre.

In its announcement this week, the government said it was scaling back the energy subsidies for the next financial year to £5.5bn, warning that the current level of help was too expensive.

Fitness industry body UKactive warned that swimming pools, leisure centres and gyms are at risk of closure unless more help was offered to tackle energy costs.

Swim England chief executive Jane Nickerson also said: “This decision by the government to not provide additional support to swimming pools and leisure centres is a hammer blow and flies in the face of previous statements from the government about the importance of physical activity and reducing pressures on the NHS.

“The government must review this decision immediately.”