Fate of Leventhorpe pool in Sawbridgeworth in hands of Hertfordshire County Council

The fate of Sawbridgeworth’s swimming pool lies in the hands of Hertfordshire County Council (HCC) after MP Josh Dean identified a funding lifeline.

The pool and gym at Leventhorpe School in Cambridge Road is facing closure on December 22 due to central Government funding being withdrawn.

But following a meeting between Hertford and Stortford MP Mr Dean and early education minister Stephen Morgan, it was revealed that HCC can apply for a further 12 months of “exceptional circumstances” funding for 2025-26.

Cllr Eric Buckmaster, the Herts county councillor for Sawbridgeworth, told the Indie on Tuesday (Dec 3) he had contacted HCC directors and the leader of the council to ask that they urgently apply for the funding to enable the pool to remain open for another year and to buy some time to explore more secure funding options.

He hit back at accusations that inaction has led to the closure threat to the pool and that its shutdown was a done deal.

“I had been asking East Herts [district council] for the past year to use the developer [Section 106] funding towards refurbishing Leventhorpe Pool,” said Cllr Buckmaster.

“I became aware via East Herts that the school had been told by letter from Government that the academic year 2024-25 was to be the final year of funding, but also that the funding be used towards closing the facility.

“I contacted our new MP immediately after the election to brief him and ask that he do all he can to restore the funding and avert the closure.

“Josh Dean indicated that there might be the possibility to apply for exceptional funding, but that wouldn’t be clear until after the Budget, which is why it has taken until now.”

Cllr Buckmaster also responded to claims that the closure was a done deal.

“I can categorically assert that there has been no preconceived agenda on the part of the school to close the pool. It is simply that, as owners of the facility, they were told by Government that they also have to use this year’s funding to decommission it.

“The cost is many times more than the funding, so they had to make a decision to limit having to dig into their core school funding.”

Cllr Buckmaster added he was “heartened” that Sawbridgeworth Town Council members of all political groups had come together, along with residents and Mr Dean, to lobby Government over the closure threat.

The town council launched a petition, along with resident Dave Mascall, which between them have garnered more than 6,000 signatures.

And in what the town council termed a “significant step” in its campaign to save the popular facility, an urgent letter was sent to school standards minister Catherine McKinnell and early education minister Mr Morgan.

The letter, signed by all 12 town councillors, outlines the vital role the pool plays in the health, safety and wellbeing of residents.

It highlights the devastating impact closure would have on families, children and older people, with the pool providing essential life-saving swimming lessons and accessible physical activity for all ages.

Cllr Buckmaster added: “It definitely doesn’t have to be a done deal and we’ll all keep doing what we can to keep the pool going as long as we have to.”