The concerns raised by the Local Government Association and hundreds of other organisations across the country to the Prime Minister citing “the failure to identify bespoke support for the sector (and schools operating sports facilities) as part of the Energy Bills Discount Scheme will be the final straw for many facilities and services – especially swimming pools.”
Council notes:
- Local public sport and leisure infrastructure across the country faces an extraordinary financial crisis due to the ongoing impacts from COVID-19, the cost of living and the energy crisis.
- The concerns raised by the Local Government Association and hundreds of other organisations across the country to the Prime Minister citing “the failure to identify bespoke support for the sector (and schools operating sports facilities) as part of the Energy Bills Discount Scheme will be the final straw for many facilities and services – especially swimming pools.”
- In [council name] we have [number] leisure centres and [number] swimming pools, used by [X number of people]. These facilities are at the heart of our community, helping people to be active, improving their health and wellbeing, and to meet other people in the community.
- Millions enjoyed and have been inspired by the Lionesses’ Euro 2022 triumph and the recent Commonwealth, Olympic and Paralympic Games, which have given us a timely boost in terms of national pride. If we are to continue our successful record in medal winning, then we need to grow the athletes of the future.
- Evidence gathered nationally from leisure providers shows that since 2019 energy bills have risen by 300 per cent. Our swimming pools have seen an increase in energy costs, [insert figure}, while our leisure centres have increased [insert figure]. Clearly, this is unstainable, and we are forced to [consider/take] the difficult decision to close facilities [and/or] reduce services.
In light of these pressures, [this council] has significant concerns about the decision to exclude swimming pools and leisure centres from the list of sectors eligible for extra support under the Government’s Energy and Trade Intensive Industries scheme and the Energy Bills Discount Scheme.
[This council] instructs the Leader to write to the Prime Minister, [copied to our local MP/s] urging the Government to act swiftly with three key measures:
- Reclassify pools and leisure centres as an energy and trade intensive industry in the Energy Bills Discount Scheme so they can access the higher level of energy price discount.
- Set out what tangible support it will provide to the wider sector – including gyms and sports facilities – to help navigate the energy crisis across 2023 so that service restrictions and facility closures can be minimised.
- Set out a “plan for the growth” for the sector by aligning the proposed new Sports Strategy with the Spring Budget to unlock the potential of the sector to support.