Leventhorpe pool and gym in Sawbridgeworth to remain shut as Government rejects funding application from Hertfordshire County Council
Sawbridgeworth’s swimming pool is to remain shut after the Government refused an application from Hertfordshire County Council (HCC) for special funding to enable it to reopen.
The disappointing news was revealed late on Thursday (January 9) – two-and-a-half weeks after the pool and gym at Leventhorpe School in Cambridge Road closed its doors on the Sunday before Christmas.
The facility – along with the pool and gym at Chauncy School in Ware – was earmarked for closure after Department for Education (DfE) funding was withdrawn, meaning the secondary school, which owns it, could no longer afford to keep it open.
Leventhorpe and Chauncy pools were run by leisure contractor Everyone Active on behalf of East Herts Council (EHC), as is the case with the Grange Paddocks and Hartham leisure centres in Bishop’s Stortford and Hertford respectively.
A campaign was launched to try to save Leventhorpe, with two petitions garnering more than 6,000 names and Hertford and Stortford Labour MP Josh Dean identifying a funding lifeline from the Government.
HCC applied to the DfE for “exceptional circumstances” funding. A week before Christmas, the Indie learned from the DfE that the request was “under assessment” and a decision would be taken “imminently”.
Leventhorpe headteacher Malcom White wrote to parents on the last day of term on Friday (Dec 20): “As I write we have not heard the outcome of that application. We are therefore continuing with the plan to close the pool and gym from December 23. Everyone Active are contacting their clients to inform them of this.
“The pool will only reopen if East Herts Council and the school can find a financially viable solution with a third party company taking control of day-to-day operations at the site.”
Sawbridgeworth’s Herts county councillor, Eric Buckmaster, said: “Along with other Sawbridgeworth residents, I am very sad at the closing of the pool. It was a big part of my family life as my children were growing up.”
He and fellow East Herts district councillor for Sawbridgeworth Angus Parsad-Wyatt had continued discussions with EHC and the school about “potential future options”.
On Thursday (Jan 9) a spokesperson for education authority HCC said: “We’re disappointed that the Government has rejected the application for continued funding for the swimming pools at Leventhorpe and Chauncy schools.
“The decision to withdraw this funding means that the schools cannot afford to keep these valuable community facilities open, and with no other obvious source of funding available the pools will have to remain closed.
“We will continue to work with local schools, East Herts Council and Everyone Active to ensure that primary school pupils can continue to have swimming lessons at nearby pools.”
A spokesperson for Sawbridgeworth Town Council said: “We would like to extend our gratitude to the community, town councillors and district councillors for their tremendous efforts in attempting to save the Leventhorpe pool from closure.
“Despite the significant challenges and exhaustive exploration of all possible avenues, including appeals to the Government, we were unable to secure the necessary support.
“This outcome is a significant loss to the community. However, we are aware that East Herts Council is actively working with local schools to identify alternative locations for swimming lessons for pupils. Town councillors will continue to monitor this situation closely.”
Regular Leventhorpe swimmer Davy Mascall, who launched a petition to save the pool, credited the facility with helping him to lose 8st in weight. He said: “I'm really upset it has closed as [I have] so many memories from childhood to adulthood.”
