A Keswick councillor has called for the community to turn out in force at a major council meeting next week and make their feelings known about the future of the town’s swimming pool.
Workington-based Aller-dale Borough Council will stage a full meeting in Keswick next week for the first time in more than 20 years after pressure from Cllr Markus Campbell-Savours.
All 49 councillors on the Conservative-Independent led authority are invited to attend the Rawnsley Centre on Wednesday, September 22 from 7pm.
Among the items on the agenda is a motion by Cllr Campbell-Savours following the dramatic decision by Allerdale to mothball the town pool and leisure centre citing a lack of funds.
The Labour member representing Keswick said: “This is a perfect opportunity for the people of Keswick to show Allerdale how frustrated they are by the pool closure and show how keen we are to see a new modern facility as soon as possible.
“I’m calling on Keswick residents to be outside the Rawnsley Centre at 6.30pm on Wednesday, September 22 and greet councillors from across the Allerdale as they arrive at the meeting.”
Cllr Campbell Savours wants the town to show its support for a new leisure centre with a pool and gym. His motion calls on the council to develop a plan for new facilities before the planned local government re-organisation which would see the borough council lost to a new unitary authority.
The motion also calls for the community’s “ill-feeling” towards the authority to be acknowledged after the pool’s future was decided without a plan in place to fill the void, he said.
Cllr Campbell-Savours is a founding member of the Friends of Keswick Leisure group and has been critical of Allerdale’s role in the pool’s closure – recently accusing it of secrecy in its decision-making.
“It would be great if people can bring friends and family to make as much noise as possible,” he added. “The more people we can get outside the meeting the better. We really need to show how important this facility is for us all.”
Keswick’s pool did not reopen after the pandemic because the council declared it financially unviable due to an estimated £200,000 repair bill on top of an annual loss of around £250,000.
