Swimming pool opening hours are to be reduced at West Oxfordshire leisure centres to cut operating costs.

Leisure operator Better is cutting down opening hours at pools in Witney, Carterton and Chipping Norton.

Better, which runs leisure centres across the county on behalf of councils, said in West Oxfordshire its annual operating costs are soaring - up 132 per cent on 2019.

Typically the pools open an hour later and close an hour earlier on days when pool usage is lowest.

There will also be some closures during the day during times when it is not busy.

The changes will be introduced from December 12 and are expected to last until Spring 2023.

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Councillor Joy Aitman, West Oxfordshire District Council's cabinet member for Stronger Healthy Communities, said: “Nationally the leisure sector has taken a huge hit as a result of the increase in energy costs and we have also seen a drop in user numbers since the pandemic.

“Small reductions in the opening times of the swimming pools at times, when very few people use them, will help reduce energy costs. We will continue to keep the pools open for all of our swimming clubs and lessons.

“We are working with Better, and consulting with residents through our budget survey, to identify measures to reduce costs and increase efficiency to help protect our leisure services.

“Our leisure centres provide fantastic leisure opportunities across the district and I would urge residents who don’t currently use them to look at what they can offer whether that be swimming, gyms, playing pitches, hall hire, activities for a range of ages or even a trampoline play park or soft play.”

Matt Simmons, Partnership Manager at Better, said, “The recent rises in utility prices have had a huge impact on Better, both as a not-for-profit organisation and as a leisure operator.  

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“While utility price rises are a nationwide cross-sector issue, leisure centres and in particular those with swimming pools, are being disproportionately impacted.

“We have been doing all we can to reduce our energy consumption for example by introducing LED bulbs and movement sensors to lighting, installing variable speed drives to pumps and thermal pool covers, but we need to take further steps in order to remain viable this winter.”

Full details on the new winter timetable for swimming pools in West Oxfordshire will be found at: www.better.org.uk/west-ox and via the Better app.

Residents can take part in the council’s budget consultation by visiting www.westoxon.gov.uk/budget 

 

 

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This story was written by Miranda Norris, she joined the team in 2021 and covers news across Oxfordshire as well as news from Witney.

Get in touch with her by emailing: Miranda.Norris@newsquest.co.uk. Or find her on Twitter: @Mirandajnorris

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