Purpose

The Government’s Swimming Pool Support
Fund (administered by Sport England) has agreed to make a grant of
£82,600 to Herefordshire Council for capital investment to
improve the energy efficiency of public facilities with pools in
the medium to long term.

The objectives of the fund are:
?to reduce the energy consumption level of facilities in receipt of
funding;
?to support the leisure sector to transition to a position of
environmental and financial sustainability;
?to minimise the closure of swimming pool provision;
?to reduce the carbon output of facilities in receipt of funding in
line with the government's Net Zero by 2050 objectives; and
?to prioritise support in those areas of greatest socio-economic
need (as evidenced by IMD level).

The allocated funding will directly contribute to pool covers at
Hereford Leisure Pool, and triple glazing to pool hall windows and
variable speed pumps at Ross Swimming Pool. No match funding is
required.
The Swimming Pool Support Fund fits with the following ambitions
set out in Herefordshire’s County Plan:

?Minimise waste and increase reuse, repair and recycling
?Invest in low carbon projects
?Identify climate change action in all aspects of council
operation

The project also meets the Carbon Management Plan pathway to carbon
neutral 2030, identifying retro-fit opportunities in council assets
to improve overall operational sustainability and
support.