Swansea Council offers extra support for Wales National Pool

Swansea Council’s Cabinet has agreed to offer new support to help Wales National Pool Swansea through the Covid-19 crisis.

The backing will help ensure Wales’ national centre for swimming excellence is able to continue providing services to elite swimmers and community users alike.

The pool is operated by Wales National Pool Swansea Ltd and funded jointly by Swansea University and Swansea Council. Both organisations will be contributing to its upkeep during the pandemic.

The move comes following similar support for the LC and other community leisure services announced by the council earlier this year. All these Swansea facilities were temporarily closed under government restrictions that came in on March 20 and during the recent firebreak. 

Since it re-opened Wales National Pool has seen demand to use the facilities soar. However, in common with other swimming pools and arenas, the numbers allowed to use WNPS and income generation has been severely restricted due to the need to maintain social distancing, ensure rigorous cleaning between sessions and keep visitors and staff safe.

Despite the restrictions, members, casual swimmers and elite athletes alike have welcomed the chance to get back in the water and commended staff for their commitment.

Robert Francis-Davies, the council’s cabinet member for investment, regeneration and tourism, said: “These leisure facilities help create an active and healthy city.

“It’s crucial to the wellbeing of our residents that the Wales National Pool Swansea are allowed to look forward with confidence and that we can support them in hard times such as this. 

“These facilities will also be important to our communities and visitors as we come out of the pandemic.”

He added: “Over the years the Wales National Pool Swansea has been home to Olympic, Paralympic and Commonwealth medal-winning elite athletes that have helped raise the profile of Swansea and Wales around the world.

“But it is a community pool too, much-appreciated by thousands of people who have used it since it’s been able to re-open under very closely-controlled safety conditions.

“By working alongside our partners to underwrite the services WNPS offers we are expressing our commitment to the future of a much-needed asset for our communities and Wales as a whole.”

A report to Cabinet today (Thursday, November 19) agreed an additional underwriting of £350,000 to support the WNPS operating period between August this year to the end of the financial year. It also noted that support is likely to be required beyond this date and until at least until 31st July 2021.