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<p>The Government is clear on the importance of ensuring public access to swimming
pools, as swimming is a great way for people of all ages to stay fit and healthy.
The responsibility of providing this access lies at Local Authority level, and the
Government continues to encourage Local Authorities to support swimming facilities.
We have also confirmed an additional £60 million support package for swimming pools
in 2023/24, which is targeted at addressing cost pressures facing public swimming
pool providers and helping make facilities sustainable in the long-term.</p><p>276
local authority swimming pools have closed since 2015. The breakdown per year is as
follows:</p><ul><li><p>2015: 40</p></li><li><p>2016: 36</p></li><li><p>2017: 31</p></li><li><p>2018:
23</p></li><li><p>2019: 31</p></li><li><p>2020: 38</p></li><li><p>2021: 26</p></li><li><p>2022:
28</p></li><li><p>2023: 23</p></li></ul><p>These numbers should be considered in the
context of facility provision within the local area. Facilities may close for a number
of reasons: this can include the rationalisation of multiple older facilities into
a modern, better located facility. In the same period from 2015-2023, 245 local authority
swimming pools opened.</p><p>Data is stored by facility type (e.g. pool, health and
fitness gym, or sports hall) rather than “leisure centre.” From 2015, approximately
261 local authority owned sites which had one or more pools, main halls, or health
and fitness gyms, closed either fully or partially (where a facility within the site,
including a pool or gym, may have closed). By region the figures are as follows:</p><ul><li><p>East
Midlands: 26</p></li><li><p>Eastern: 21</p></li><li><p>London: 26</p></li><li><p>North
East: 29</p></li><li><p>North West:41</p></li><li><p>South East: 43</p></li><li><p>South
West: 21</p></li><li><p>West Midlands: 29</p></li><li><p>Yorkshire and the Humber:
25</p></li></ul><p>At the same time, new facilities were constructed at 242 comparable
sites.</p>
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