A tale of two swimmming pools

The importance of Council funding to facilities like swimming pools, supporting the health of Scotland’s people, is demonstrated by two current cases. One is of a pool in Argyll which, without such a commitment, is said to be facing closure by Christmas. The other is a pool in  Cromarty, not yet built but facing the rejection of what is recognised as a good bid to the Big Lottery if it cannot demonstrate council commitment.

The Mid Argyll Swimming Pool in Lochgilphead survived a profound financial crisis in the Spring of this year, helped by Argyll & Bute Council’s contribution of £25,000. It reorganised its operations and its Board and has, since March, cleared a £14k overdraft.

However, it is still facing a year-end operating deficit of £11,500 and a year-end loss of £21,000 without a further Council contribution of £10,000. To ensure its continuation it also needs an increase in its £30k per annum Council grant.

A very serious point is that the volunteer board members who came to the pool’s rescue in March simply cannot continue to carry the significant and demanding responsibilities they bear for operational, financial and management matters.

The Swimming Pool project at the Black Isle in the Cromarty Firth, north of Inverness, is at the point of submission of its final stage applciaiton to the Big Lottery. It’s business plan – said to be sound – is already in place. Its current predicament is a stand-off in interpretation by Highland Council and the Big Lottery officials.

Dave Thompson, Dingwall-based Highlands & Islands MSP and an energetic supporter of the project, wrote to Highand Council asking for a financial commitment to be given to the swimming pool project. He was told by council officials that a successful Lottery application was ‘not dependent on council funding being in place’.

Mr Thompson had been asked to intervene by Stuart Edmond of The Black Isle Swimming Pool Foundation.

They had submitted a revised application and Business Plan to the Big Lottery for formal consideration. They were then told by officials at the Big Lottery – whose stance they describe as ‘very supportive’ – that the application is ‘a really good project with a sound business plan, demonstrated need and realistic projections of usage and income’. However, they were also told that the application was likely to fail without a firm commitment from the Council to provide revenue funding.

Dave Thompson says: ‘‘It would appear that the information I was given by the Council was incorrect and the swimming pool application does indeed depend on council support. I would therefore urge the Council to reconsider its position and give this excellent project the financial commitment it needs to ensure a successful outcome from the Big Lottery’.

Planning consent has been secured and most of the land needed for the pool will be gifted by Highland Council but the council is not willing to give a commitment to revenue support.

The proposal is for a 20 by 10 metre pool with a small play pool, built in Phase 1. A later stage would see ancillary facilities added,  such as a sauna and sun bed. The pool is planned to be built adjacent to the Black Isle Leisure Centre which in turn, is adjacent to Fortrose Academy, catering for all secondary pupils in the area.

As with the Mid-Argyll pool’s current service, the proposed Black Isle facility would support swimming lessons and swimming sessions – one of the best cardio-vascular forms of exercise – for the young people of the area.

Local authorities in Scotland are far from being cash rich and Argyll in particular has long been substantially underfunded for its widespread responsibilities. They cannot be expected continually to accept new responsibilities.

However, swimming pools – unusually – support the health of young and old alike. With improvement in the health and physical fitness of Scotland’s people one of the Scottish Government’s priorities, there is a need for central and local government to address the need for support for such resources.

Swimming pool usage and therefore both revenue and unit costs are much ‘healthier’ in the central belt and in the cities and major towns of Scotland. However, the underpopulated rural areas – so important for Scotland’s develloping future in widespread activity tourism and in renewable energy development – require support for healthy lifestyles in those who live there.

In these instances, both Dave Thompson and Argyll’s MSP, Jim Mather, belong to the party of Government. Perhaps they might join forces to address a common problem?