Nusrat Ghani, MP for Wealden, has welcomed the launch of the Government’s Swimming Pool Support Fund, announced at the Chancellor’s Spring Budget.
The UK Government is demonstrating its commitment to levelling up access to sport and physical activity, by investing directly into grassroots facilities across the country. Amongst other projects, this includes a major package £60 million of new funding to support public facilities with swimming pools across England.
The funding will be distributed by Sport England, on behalf of DCMS and DLUHC, through a competitive process seeking applications from English Local Authorities responsible for leisure provision.
Applications for Phase I of funding allocations are now open, with details on how to apply here.
Local Authorities will have the month of July to make their applications, with funding being delivered to successful facilities in September.
Nusrat Ghani said: “Health, leisure and sport facilities play a key role in building resilience and well-being of our communities and swimming especially provide an opportunity for all ages and abilities to partake in physical activity. I appreciate the difficulties that swimming pools in Wealden and nationwide are currently facing and I am pleased that the Government is supporting our swimming pools through the Swimming Pool Support Fund. While I appreciate that this funding is limited and while I would have welcomed an even greater package to guarantee support for Wealden facilities, I fully encourage Wealden District Council and East Sussex County Council to apply for this funding and secure this much-needed support.”
Additional Government support for grassroots sport includes:
- £302 million to provide up to 8,000 new and improved multi-sport grassroots facilities and pitches across the whole of the UK between 2021 and 2025.
- £21.9 million to renovate 3,100 tennis courts across Scotland, England and Wales between 2022 and 2024.
