Pendle Wavelengths and West Craven Sports Centre to receive a £353,000 swimming pool boost from government

Pendle Wavelengths in Nelson and West Craven Sports Centre in Barnoldswick have received £233,973 and £119,036 respectively as part of the government’s £60m. Swimming Pool Support Fund.

Sport England is pleased to be delivering the Swimming Pool Support Fund on behalf of government. The measures are intended to ensure that children and adults up and down the country continue to have access to a public swimming pool, helping people get active and maintain a healthy lifestyle.

Pendle MP Andrew Stephenson said: “Rising energy costs have caused significant issues for our local swimming pools, so ahead of the Budget one of my main asks of the Chancellor Jeremy Hunt was that our local leisure centres were provided with additional support.

“I was delighted the Chancellor announced a £60m. Swimming Pool Support Fund and the news that £353,000 of that is being awarded to Pendle Leisure Trust is wonderful news.

“This great news is in addition to the millions of Levelling Up funding already being invested in our local theatres, which is currently helping transform the Muni, Hippodrome and Little Theatre.”

Applications for Phase II of funding, £40m. of capital support, are currently being considered.  Any local authorities that applied will hear back on the success of their applications early next year.

In April, Labour councillors have launched an online petition to try and stop Pendle Council potentially closing Nelson’s flagship Pendle Wavelengths and Colne’s Pendle Leisure Centre as part of a review of centres across the borough.