Two paddling pools saved

At least for now

Two Mid Devon paddling pools have been saved after thousands of local residents slammed plans to ‘mothball’ them.

More than 2,500 people signed an online petition calling for the pool at Westexe Recreation Ground to be saved amid fears Mid Devon District Council may shut it to save on costs.

The council, which runs another pool at Newcombes Meadow in Crediton, had considered mothballing both because of a budget gap of hundreds-of-thousands of pounds for the forthcoming financial year.

However, at an extraordinary full council meeting on Wednesday [8 March], councillors decided to keep them open this summer and to review how they are funded subsequently, with the potential for town councils and sponsors to help with running costs.

Several public speakers at the meeting, held at Phoenix House in Tiverton, spoke out against the pools’ potential closures, particularly the one at Westexe, highlighting its importance for young children and the local community.

Jo Carpenter, founder of Active Parents Tiverton, describing herself as a “deeply concerned parent,” said her seven-year-old son cannot swim, but the cost of regular swimming at the town’s Exe Valley Leisure Centre is “too expensive.”

She added: “The waiting list for swimming lessons itself is 18 months. This is appalling for a seven-year-old. I can’t get him a swimming lesson. A private swimming lesson for half-an-hour would be £20. This is all unaffordable for a parent like me, and I’m not the only one.

“People in Tiverton are 183 in the queue for a private swimming lesson. We can’t get swimming, so we need swimming confidence and that’s what this pool does for us.

“The nearest beach is too far for some families if they can’t drive and we’re excluding people who can’t afford it.

Another public speaker said: “If lockdown and covid-19 has taught us anything, it has to be the value of outdoor space, particularly for children who need places to play, to unwind and to just be kids.

“Too often facilities for this group are cut without any real thought on the impact on the physical and mental health of the children that use them.

“If play facilities continue to decline at the current rate, our communities could look very different very soon. And once they disappear, they’re usually gone forever.

“We’re in danger of short-changing children, particularly those from the one in eight UK households without gardens, and those from the most disadvantaged groups.

They suggested the council could earn income from the pools through sponsorship or by renting out the surrounding space for “mobile catering facilities.”

A fellow speaker added: “Last summer we had extreme heat in this country. Probably due to climate change our summers are getting hotter and longer.

“The Westexe pool is a vital source for our community. It allows parents and carers to pick their children up from school, continue to use the park and exercise safely knowing they can cool down.

“So my question is, how can it even be considered? How can you justify even closing it?”

It was later revealed that the previous day, at the first meeting of the council’s newly-formed cabinet led by recently-appointed leader Barry Warren (Independent), members recommended that around £15,000 is taken out of reserves to keep the pools open this summer.

Their recommendation also suggested the previous ‘mothballing’ proposal is “urgently reviewed to explore sourcing the necessary funding to keep these facilities available during the summer months.”

This includes “finding room in existing budgets and/or town council support and/or business sponsorship.”

Deputy chief executive Andrew Jarrett subsequently confirmed this would mean the pools will reopen as usual this summer.

Councillors agreed to the recommendation almost unanimously, with one abstention.