North Manor Councillor Liam Dean, Shadow Cabinet member for Operations, has called upon Bury Council to apply for the recently announced Swimming Pool Support Fund provided by the UK Government.
The £60 million funding pot aims to support public swimming pools across the UK, ensuring their financial sustainability and accessibility to residents, with a particular focus on promoting a healthy lifestyle among children and adults.
The Swimming Pool Support Fund offers an exceptional chance for Bury Council to strengthen its commitment to providing top-notch leisure services for our residents.
In the letter to Council bosses, Cllr Dean states “Securing funding from this government fund, we could mitigate the increased costs caused by Putin’s illegal invasion of Ukraine and, through phase 2, invest in energy efficiency measures for our swimming pools and leisure centres, thus reducing operating costs and ensuring their long-term sustainability.”
Cllr Dean has long been a supporter of the council’s leisure services, he commented
“My first job was working in Bury Leisure as a lifeguard at 16 years old. From there I went on to do various roles – even becoming a fitness instructor, where I’m sure many people will remember me from my Aqua Aerobics classes”
“I know first hand the positive effects our leisure service has, but we have to adapt and change to the times – this government funding scheme gives us a great opportunity to make our centres sustainable and delivering high quality classes and fitness services for years to come”.
To ensure the strongest application possible, Councillor Dean has requested that experienced bid writers within the council either compose or review the bid before submission. A comprehensive and compelling bid is essential to secure funding from Sport England and ensure inclusion in the list of successful applicants.
