Don't forget your Voter ID
If you are voting in person in the General Election on Thursday 4 July, you will need to take an accepted form of photo ID with you.
The successful bid for Sport England Phase 1 Swimming Pool Grants funding was awarded for Hadleigh Pool & Leisure, owned by Babergh District Council and operated by not-for-profit social enterprise Abbeycroft Leisure – however a first-round bid for funding to help the council-owned Kingfisher Leisure Centre in Sudbury was unsuccessful, as well as bids by neighbouring Mid Suffolk District Council for Mid Suffolk Leisure Centre and Stradbroke Swimming Pool and Fitness Centre.
Swimming pools are particularly dependent on energy use, maintaining ambient temperature and heating pool water to the right temperature for leisure use, so inflation and soaring energy bills have put leisure providers under increasing financial pressure.
Cllr Deborah Saw, Babergh District Council cabinet member for people and place said:
Warren Smyth, Chief Executive of Abbeycroft Leisure said:
"Soaring energy costs, the impact of Covid and cost living pressures are putting swimming pools across the country under huge pressure. We have received excellent support from Babergh District Council, but this is a much wider issue and we are very pleased to have received this national award."
Sport England's Director of Place, Lisa Dodd-Mayne said:
Sports Minister Stuart Andrew said:
A decision on Sport England Phase 2 Swimming Pool Grants funding is expected next month.