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March 2024
COUNCIL'S SUCCESSFUL SWIMMING POOL FUNDING BID MAKES A BIG SPLASH IN BELPER
BELPER LEISURE CENTRE IS CELEBRATING ANOTHER WELCOME FUNDING VICTORY FOLLOWING A SUCCESSFUL BID BY AMBER VALLEY BOROUGH COUNCIL TO THE GOVERNMENT'S SWIMMING POOL SUPPORT FUND.
The centre has been awarded £175k for investments in energy-saving improvements from the £40m Phase 2 capital round of the SPSF scheme administered by Sport England.
Belper Leisure Centre faced almost certain closure last year when sky-rocketing energy prices helped to create a £360k deficit in the centre’s coffers.
But Amber Valley Borough Council’s new administration jumped to the rescue, pledging £150k of its own funds to help save the struggling facility.
The council then won a further £180k in revenue funding for Belper Leisure Centre from Phase 1 of the SPSF, announced in November by Sport England.
The new grant award will be spent on capital investment for energy efficient management of the sites.
Councillor Chris Emmas-Williams, who spearheaded the drive to save Belper Leisure Centre when he became council leader last May, said: “We were absolutely delighted last year when Sport England approved our bid for revenue funding for Belper Leisure Centre.
“Together with the council’s own funding pledge, it offered an essential lifeline to the thousands of children and adults that have benefited from the centre. Without it, Belper faced almost certain closure, which would have been devastating for so many people.
“Now, with this week’s announcement, the additional award for capital energy-saving improvements, provides the much-needed building blocks on the journey for Belper’s long-term survival."
Following an announcement last summer that Belper Leisure Centre was threatened with closure, the council’s subsequent support encouraged the non-profit charity and social enterprise Trilogy Active Ltd to step in to manage the centre.
Its fortunes looked brighter once Sport England approved a £180,930 revenue funding allocation in November, to be spent on things like utility bills and pool chemicals. The funding came from the £20m Phase 1 of the SPSF scheme, which was set up using Lottery money to help England’s swimming pools survive the nationwide hike in energy costs.
The £40m Phase 2 support package is specifically ring-fenced for capital expenditures that improve the energy efficiency of public swimming pool facilities in the medium to long term.
Despite the fact that Belper Leisure Centre is not a council-run venue, only local authorities were eligible to apply for funding in their areas.
Cllr Emmas-Williams said: “While Belper is not completely out of the woods yet, these successful funding bids will help massively. As a council, we are extremely proud to have helped the team at Belper and everyone who uses the centre.”
In addition to the 25-metre pool, Belper Leisure Centre has a gym with spa, sports hall, multi-purpose gymnasium, squash courts and an outdoor 3G floodlit artificial grass pitch.
As well as offering general public access at the venue in John O’Gaunts Way, the centre is a hugely important facility for groups like Belper Marlin Swimming Club and pupils at the adjacent Belper School & Sixth Form Centre.
Over 500 capital interventions in over 300 facilities with swimming pools have been awarded funding from the Government and Sport England’s £60m SPSF capital investment programme.
Lisa Dodd-Mayne, executive director of Sport England, said: “Swimming pools and leisure centres are vital community resources and are enormously important in helping people to be physically active.
“Many pools have faced a real and significant threat to their survival this year, as local authorities and operators have battled the challenge of increased energy and wider costs, weakened reserves and difficulties with retaining staff.
“Sport England is proud of the role we’ve played in supporting these facilities through this difficult period. We hope today’s funding announcement will enable more public pools to improve their energy efficiency to be more environmentally and financially sustainable, so they remain available for future generations to enjoy.”
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January 2024
BRIGHT FUTURE FOR BELPER LEISURE CENTRE
THE FUTURE OF A LOCAL LEISURE CENTRE IN THE HEART OF BELPER IS BRIGHT ACCORDING TO TRILOGY ACTIVE WHO TOOK OVER FOUR SHORT MONTHS AGO
After the threat of closure due to economic challenges, Trilogy Active stepped in to keep Belper Leisure Centre open in the summer of 2023 and bring long term stability to the important and popular organisation.
Trilogy Active is a not for profit Charity and Wellbeing organisation that operates a mix of leisure centres, Soft Play facilities, swimming pools, fitness facilities, Community Outreach programmes and a Cinema and which operates in Northampton, Birmingham and Derby.
“We are genuinely encouraged to have made real progress on the long term future of Belper Leisure Centre.” said Managing Director of Trilogy Active John Fletcher. “We recognised what an important role it plays in the local community and have begun our work by implementing our successful business model and Social enterprise model, which includes the expansion of accessible programmes for the local community.”
“It is just four months since Trilogy Active took over the management of the Centre and it is credit to the hard work of the team there that a bright future lay ahead.” John Fletcher continued. “The priority was of course to keep the centre open but also to attract new funding and secure the financial position which we are pleased to have done.”
Trilogy Active have also implemented actions to reduce utility consumption and work with the local community to ensure they have a say in the future of services that are delivered.
As a not-for-profit organisation, Trilogy Active has committed to securing the future of Belper Leisure Centre. Through a formal change of governance Trilogy Active is now the sole company member, with Belper Leisure Centre remaining an organisation that enables a streamlined approach to developing the business in the early stages of this new arrangement.
Trilogy Active will invest in Belper Leisure Centre to ensure its long-term success and development as an organisation. Trilogy Active recognises the significant contribution from Amber Valley Borough Council (AVBC), Belper Town Council and Belper School both financially and through partnership discussion to protect BLC from insolvency.
Trilogy Active via Belper Leisure Centre will continue working closely with all stakeholders to support the Community of Belper.
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