A Cumbrian MP’s support for the re-opening of Keswick Leisure Pool has been welcomed by wary campaigners – but they lack confidence in his ability to do anything positive to influence decision makers in Government.
Workington Conservative MP Mark Jenkinson, who will be standing for election to the Penrith and Solway constituency, this week launched his New Pool for Keswick campaign and is urging supporters to sign up to it at markshar.es/keswickpool.
He says that when he was deputy leader of Allerdale Borough Council he helped to secure a stay of execution for the pool, putting a stop to Labour’s plans to sell it off for residential development.
But the venue had been suffering from a major leak and a decision was taken by Cumbria County Council to permanently shut the pool in 2021 following complications in the attempted re-opening post-Covid.
A consultation exercise was launched to determine the sort of facilities which were needed in Keswick, with a full report published in March 2022.
A subsequent feasibility study published in March 2023 proposed two options both including a swimming pool – one at a cost of £9.3m and a larger option at £13.6m.
But Cumberland Council shelved the project to concentrate funding on other pools, such as those at Carlisle and Workington.
“Our local Labour-led councils don’t have a great track record when it comes to swimming pools,” claims Mr Jenkinson. “Cumbria County Council closed Wigton Baths until it was saved by a local charity. The same administration closed the Netherhall School swimming pool for the sake of just £150,000 investment.
“When I secured nearly £5m in government funding for a new pool in Maryport as part of the Maryport High Street funding, Conservative-controlled Allerdale Borough Council embraced it, finding the additional capital required to deal with rising construction costs.
“When the baton again passed to Labour-led Cumberland Council, they refused the Government funding both to build and to run it – cancelling the plans in the face of widespread public opposition.
“In June 2023 they said they’d ‘look again’, but local councillors have since fallen silent. The people of Keswick shouldn’t settle for second best. I am prepared to fight for this pool, and I hope you will join me.”
Louise Dunn, of the campaign group Friends of Keswick Leisure, said the launch of Mr Jenkinson’s campaign entailed targeting the community with “a very misleading political diatribe”.
“There was no acknowledgement of the hard work of the local community since the pool closed, including campaigning for and helping to organise the community consultation in 2022 and the feasibility study in 2023.
“Keswick locals will be keen to hear how Mr Jenkinson plans to do something positive to influence decision makers in Government. For example, it would be great to have our local MPs asking questions about poor leisure provision in the Houses of Parliament and demanding action.
“We could also value a strong voice at Westminster to advocate for us and lobby for investment in Keswick pools. This has not happened since the pool was closed three years ago. Without representation from our local MP, a new pool won’t happen.
“The challenge to build a new pool is substantial. If option A (four-lane 20m pool including gym, cafe and changing rooms) in the feasibility study is adopted, local government will need to secure around £13.4m over five years plus running costs of over £4m.
“None of these costs were built into the Cumberland budget when handed over from Allerdale. Since then, inflation, increased demand for services and the poor general economic outlook have further worsened the financial position of Cumberland. So it’s unlikely that Keswick will get a new pool until local government funding increases to make investment in new leisure facilities sustainable.
“In addition Cumberland will need to be supported by substantial grants from central government and other bodies.”
She said people who wish to support the pool campaign “in good faith” should get in touch via the Friends of Keswick Leisure Facebook page, or via Keswick Town Council.
