Hard times ahead for Commercial Pools

As well as the axes of new School Swimming Pools recently, lot's of Local Authority Swimming Pools are being faced with financial hardship, trying to find ways of cost cutting. As we all know running and maintining a swimming pool can be expensive with the heating bills, chemicals etc. Some Local Authority Swimming Pools have beenreducing their opening hours to try and save money, as there is a lack of funds, and communities are trying to save their local Swimming Pools from closure.

Last year the Labour Government announced free swimming sessions for under 16s and over 60s, which encouraged alot of people to get active, especially in the over 60s. It also gave familys on lower incomes the ability to take their children swimming without worring about the cost. The Government put up the funds for the scheme to go ahead, as it gave people the oppurtunity to get involved with swimming, and help with getting active which would have a good effect on the person's health.

Again as with the new Coalition Government axeing new School Swimming Pool builds, they have decided to end the free Swimming Sessions as of the 1st July. By withdrawing the free Swimming Sessions, it will have an impact on people's health as they will no longer have the free entitlement to Swimming Sessions, andthey have also put stops to new Swimming Pool developments as there isn't the funding to go ahead wth them. It is estimated that around 160 Swimming Pools face closure over the next year as there isn't enough funding available to keep them open.