Campaign launched as popular swimming pool near Worksop 'could shut'

Parents, teachers and local politicians alike are hoping to save Todwick Primary School’s swimming pool after it was revealed it could shut.

Jake Richards, Labour’s parliamentary candidate for Rother Valley, who has launched a petition to save the pool, said: “The reason is economic. Most schools are facing budgetary pressures and we’ve got data that tells us Todwick Primary is facing about £40,000 of cuts, so they can’t keep it open.

“I’m working with a group of residents, including parents with young children who use the pool. What we’ve done so far is we’ve written to the Education Secretary asking for help and there’s apparently a pot of money for swimming pools, because pools are more in danger due to energy bills rising.

“We’re realistic, I don’t think the government will come and save this. What we’re doing is to try to look at alternative ways to keep it open.

“I’m surprised how many people have expressed their desire to keep this open. We’ve got more than 1,000 signatures. People are angry about it.”

When told Rother Valley MP Alexander Stafford had said extra money – more than £2m – was available, Mr Richards said it was a “classic manoeuvre”.

He said: “What’s happened is, and this is a classic manoeuvre, the Tories have cut education spending in real terms for the last 13 years and then they offer a very small amount and they expect everyone to be very grateful.

“It is ridiculous to suggest to the parents and the teachers that school funding in the Rother Valley, and indeed across the UK, is sufficient at the moment. I don’t think anyone really believes it.”

Mr Stafford said the additional £2.6m made available is to “top up budgets of every state-funded primary and secondary school in Rother Valley”.

He asid: “I would like the pool to be saved as it is clear a large number of people in the community wish to preserve the asset.

“However, for this to be reality, the real reasons – not the fantasy stated by Labour – need to be addressed to ensure we can come up with a workable plan to secure its future. This is what I am doing, alongside other elected representatives in Todwick.

“The Labour petition is political opportunism started by someone who says he wants to save ‘our’ pool, but has never visited the school, never mind the actual pool.

“There is actually a level of disgust among some people in Todwick that Labour is trying to force the hand of the school without having a proper grasp or understanding of the reasons. It is political opportunism at its worse.”

“The headteacher told me there are three reasons why they wish to close the pool.

“One is costs – not just increased energy costs, but also the increased maintenance costs of the 50-year-old building and a decision to spend the school’s capital budget on other priorities.

“The second issue is safe staffing levels required for lessons and no longer being able to rely on parent volunteers due to safeguarding requirements.

“And the third is the pool no longer meets the needs of the school swimming curriculum, as the length and depth is not adequate for their needs.”

Rotherham Council has been approached for comment.