Buckfastleigh residents asked to pay to save pool

Referendum asks for 77p a week tax raise

People in Buckfastleigh are being asked to vote this week on whether to pay more in council tax to save the town's swimming pool and park.

The open-air pool at Victoria Park faces huge increases in running costs caused by the ongoing cost of living crisis, meaning it could be forced to close unless more money is found.

A parish poll is now being held in the town on Thursday [27 October] asking residents if they want to pay about 77p more per week towards the town council’s portion of council tax “in order to keep Victoria Park and swimming pool open from 2023 onwards.”

The increase equates to an extra £40 per household per year on average, depending on banding.

The Victoria Park charity, which runs the park and the swimming pool, says its energy costs are expected to rise to £36,000 in the next financial year, compared to around £8,000 in 2021/22.

“Without extra money we will have to close the whole site at the end of this year until a solution is found,” the pool’s management says, adding: “If we cannot run the pool, we will need to spend money to make it safe and secure before we can allow access to the rest of the park.”

Explaining why there is a vote, they said: “We think the decision is too big to leave to the volunteer trustees or the town council. We want to make sure the community has a say in the decision.”

The pool first opened in 1887. It nearly closed in 2014 but was saved by the community after grants worth £400,000 were secured to help refurbish it and the neighbouring park.

However, Pam Barrett, chair of the park charity, told BBC Radio Devon last month that there are “no grants that pay for running costs.”

She described the vote as “democracy in action,” adding: “It’s a tough time for people at the moment. We’re asking for an average of 77p per week per household in order to bridge the gap.”

The poll, which is not legally binding on the parish or town council, will be held at Buckfastleigh Town Hall on Thursday [27 October] from 4 p.m. until 9 p.m.