The Southern Swimming Pool board says its assurance has been undermined by the ‘Report into the affordability of Regional Pools being part of Regional Sports Hubs – Update for Tynwald’.
Chief Minister, Alfred Cannan MHK visited the pool on April 22, the board felt reassured after the meeting that there would be, barring a catastrophic breakdown, continuity of swimming provision in the south until a new pool is built at CRHS.
The board has released a statement with it’s concerns for the report which is subject to a motion in June Tynwald:
which is subject to a motion in June 2024 Tynwald
Regional Sports Hub
The Board is very enthusiastic about the regional sport hub concept as recommended in the KKP report and was delighted when Tynwald voted in January 2023 that DESC and DOI should produce a costed long term strategic plan to develop such hubs. This motion gave hope of a streamlined, coordinated and improved local sports offering. Neither the current report nor its update deliver this aspiration.
The update report states that ‘integration of the regional pools into DESC would be cost prohibitive’ yet the original December report neither fully nor accurately calculated the costs and benefits of such integration. At every stage since the KKP report, the Southern Swimming Pool Board has welcomed rationalisation and collaboration as it understands the ensuing benefits to both customers and taxpayers.
Replacement Pool
The Board welcomed the Chief Minister’s confirmation in April 2024 that a replacement Southern Pool will be built. The Update Report now undermines his assurance by only noting ‘a firm commitment…. to design a sport facility and swimming pool’ as part of the new CRHS. A promise to design is not a promise to build.
Annual Subvention
The Chief Minister’s assurance that Southern Pool would continue to receive its annual subvention funding from DESC (in accordance with the January 2023 Tynwald resolution) until the new pool was built gave certainty to customers, staff and the Board. The Board now had a clear time frame to plan the appropriate maintenance to ensure that the Pool could continue, barring a major breakdown, to at least 2030.
The Board is confident this is achievable. However, the Update Report now states that DESC can ‘continue to support…. at the existing levels of subvention, until March 2025, with an option to continue to March 2026’. This both undermines the Chief Minister’s assurance and the comfort it gave the local community. The Board is now back to planning on a short-term emergency type basis which is suboptimal both service and cost wise.
Collaboration
The Update Report states that ‘DESC will work collaboratively with the regional Pool Boards.’ However, neither the SSPB nor its management has had any involvement in the design for the replacement pool.
The Board and management are ready to give input and feedback to shape the new pool as involving local stakeholders is crucial for success.
Equitable Sporting provision across the Island
The Update Report promises a service level agreement ‘to equalise, as far as possible, provision across the Island.’ It also states that the ‘National Sports Centre should remain the premier national sports hub.’
Thus, residents in the east of the island have the easiest access to the premier hub yet several eastern local authorities make no financial contribution to its upkeep.
An equitable island provision applies to both the level of facilities and the sharing of costs. Nevertheless, the Update Report does not consider an all-island leisure rate which would make a significant contribution to such equalisation.
Conclusion
The Board welcomes the Update Reports conclusion that ‘the regional swimming pools should be an important part of the sporting community offering across the Island.’ However, this will only be achieved if the current Southern Pool is be kept in existence until its replacement is ready. The Chief Minister tacitly recognised this fact in the assurance he gave us in April 2024. Weakening this commitment means a significant portion of the island’s residents will be deprived of easy access to a pool. The physical, emotional and social impact will be severe.
The board have requested the Update Report be adjusted so that it takes account of the above comments and accurately reflects the assurances given by the Chief Minister.
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