"These valuable public facilities are at risk of reduced hours or even closure due to unsustainable and increasing costs."
Responding to the Government’s announcement of the new Energy Bills Discount Scheme, Cllr Gerald Vernon Jackson, Chair of the Local Government Association Culture, Tourism and Sport Board said:
“Councils remain deeply concerned about the risk to some council services.
“Libraries and museums will be eligible for extra support, as energy-intensive industries, but leisure centres and swimming pools will not be equally protected from high energy prices.
“These valuable public facilities are at risk of reduced hours or even closure due to unsustainable and increasing costs.
“If the Government is serious about reducing pressure on the NHS, as well as meeting its other targets on physical activity and sports participation, it must continue to support our leisure centres and public swimming pools which help people stay active, healthy and out of hospital.
“Councils need support with their energy bills for all their local services, so they can stay open and provide a safe haven for residents during this unprecedented cost of living crisis.”