Fylde councillors agreed to a £100,000 funding package to ensure the reopening of the area’s biggest leisure provider. Councillors on the Finance and Democracy Committee agreed the funding to make sure Fylde Coast YMCA swimming facilities in St Annes and Kirkham survive the Covid-19 lockdown which forced the business to close its doors.
The YMCA, which operates facilities including St Annes Swimming Pool and YMCA Kirkham Rural Splash, previously informed the Council’s Tourism and Leisure Committee of the costs incurred by the Covid-19 lockdown. It asked for financial assistance at St Annes and Kirkham in order to ensure continued service of leisure facilities for Fylde residents.
Cllr Gavin Harrison, who is Fylde Council’s representative on this outside body, said: “We must protect these facilities for residents. It is no fault of the YMCA that Covid-19 and lockdown came along. They provide vital health and wellbeing programmes for thousands of people and I hope we see them up and running again soon, thanks to this funding.”
Members had approved a revenue budget for 2020/21 at the March 2020 Budget Council meeting, but the COVID 19 lockdown measures introduced by the Government significantly impacted on the services. Currently, all programme committees are considering reports which set out the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and the lockdown measures introduced by the government on services and functions which the council delivers.
