Are you trying to keep your pool afloat?
A new £63m fund managed by Sport England will help leisure centres decarbonise and become energy efficient. Kelly Crews explains how timing is critical
At the Budget, the Government announced a new £63m fund through Sport England to help local leisure centres with swimming pools stay open.
The timing could not be more critical. While the leisure sector has experienced a rise in energy costs of up to 300% compared to 2019 (according to ukactive), leisure centres will not be included in the energy bills discount scheme which starts from 1 April. This could leave many vulnerable to unaffordable running costs.
According to data from ukactive members, 31% of council areas in England remain at risk of losing their leisure centre (or centres) or seeing reduced services from 1 April, with around 350 centres already experiencing service restrictions, temporary and permanent closures since October 2022. Meanwhile, 74% of council areas are classified as “unsecure” meaning there is a risk of leisure centre closures or reduced services before March of next year.
Freedom Leisure, which works with over 25 local authorities, says its annual energy bill has increased from £8m to £20m.
Only available for 12 months
Therefore, the new fund is critical for the sector. Open for one year, £40 million will be made available for investment in decarbonisation and long-term energy efficiency, while £23 million will help with costs to make these essential local hubs more energy efficient.
It means local authorities, and the companies and charities operating these facilities on their behalf, can apply for support with long-term energy efficiency improvements that help the pressure of running and maintaining a leisure centre with a pool.
Oxford City Council invests in a low energy leisure estate
Recently, we supported Oxford City Council in achieving better energy efficiency across four of their leisure centres. One example is Hinksey Outdoor Pool which is now receiving most of the heat required for its swimming pool season from a new water-to-water source heat pump, reducing annual gas consumption by approximately 80%. Overall, Oxford City Council has seen emissions across its four leisure centres reduce by 56%.
Key to community well-being
Leisure centres play a vital role in the fabric of society, helping to support health and well-being within communities. The prospect of a community losing one will have consequences, with the potential for an increase in health-related problems creating a further impact on an already stretched NHS and the UK economy.
Acting quickly is imperative. That’s why we launched our Decarbonise Today service, to help customers futureproof their existing buildings, utilising funds such as this to secure much-needed investment.
If you would like help in applying for this funding, drop me a line. We can also help kickstart your decarbonisation journey to understand which are the priority areas, helping to focus your efforts on improving swimming pools for your local communities.