Last updated 18 October 2024

This dedicated webpage sets out what Fylde Council is doing in exploring all practicable options to support swimming provision in Fylde following the closure of the YMCA Kirkham Rural Splash. Below, you will find a timeline of activity since the closure and the steps being taken to look at all options to support swimming which includes links to relevant committee documents and press releases. This timeline will be updated as the project progresses, helping readers remain informed on the most recent developments.

Current Status

This section offers an overview of our current stage. For a detailed timeline of the Kirkham Pool closure, please refer below.

Evaluation of Business Plans to Commence

Following the submission deadline on Friday 2 August, we have received one business plan in relation to acquiring and operating the Kirkham swimming facility.

An evaluation of the business plan will now take place, and the outcome of this will be communicated.

Supporting Actions

Fylde Council has undertaken a range of actions to support continued swimming provision in Fylde. The closure of the YMCA Kirkham pool facility has heightened the need for immediate action, leading to the resolution of the Notice of Motion in October 2023. The council has since taken various steps to support continued swimming provision in the borough. Details of these actions and links to relevant documents can be found below.

To read the options below, please click the + icon to expand the text.

In response to the ongoing challenges faced by the YMCA Fylde Coast St Annes swimming pool, Fylde Council’s Executive Committee on 19 September 2023 approved a one-year additional subsidy payment of £59,189.

Read the full report here.

A notice of motion was put forward to the Full Council meeting on 2 October 2023. It was resolved that:

“In the corporate and local plan this Council seeks to maintain or encourage public swim provision. I propose that this Council, as a matter of urgency, supports that position and in light of the recent announcement by the YMCA to permanently close Kirkham Baths looks at all practicable options to work with partners and stakeholders to support that provision, and such options to be considered by the External Scrutiny Committee.”

Read the full report here.

Fylde Council and YMCA Fylde Coast submitted successful applications to both phases of the Sport England Swimming Pool Support Fund to assist the continued operation of the St Annes swimming facility.

A condition of the funding for both phases was that the pool in question be currently operational. Under this condition, only the St Annes swimming facility would be eligible for support funding.

07/11/2023

The Phase 1 Fund was targeted at swimming facilities facing elevated risk of closure due to increased cost pressures. Read more here.

23/03/2024

The Phase 2 Fund was solely for capital investment to improve the energy efficiency of facilities in the medium to long term. Read more here.

05/12/2023

Fylde Council’s Executive Committee approved the commissioning of Active Lancashire to perform a community-wide consultation initiative aimed at shaping the future of sport and leisure facilities in Fylde.

09/12/2023

The Sport and Leisure Provision Survey launched, inviting those living and working within Fylde to contribute their perspectives on a variety of topics relating to sport and leisure, with a particular focus on swimming opportunities.

05/04/2024

The survey findings and full report of the consultation conducted by Active Lancashire provide a thorough understanding of the challenges and perspectives concerning swimming provision in Fylde. Based on these findings, considerations have been developed to inform and support ongoing efforts to improve swimming provision in the area.

To assist interested parties who are considering submitting an Expression of Interest for the acquisition and operating of Kirkham Pool, the council is presenting potential redevelopment design concepts for the site as a pool. The council has funded the commissioning of architectural drawings, mechanical and electrical design works, and related expenses as part of its resolution to explore all feasible design concepts for swimming provision. This initiative aims to provide interested parties with a potential future vision of the pool, including current costs and feasibility assessments.”

These concepts have been produced to give community groups an idea of the feasibility and costs of different potential designs.  They are only guides to help interested parties develop their business plans.

04/01/2024

Consultants were approached to provide quotes for assessing the feasibility and costings of either recommissioning or enhancing the existing Kirkham Pool or constructing a new facility.

25/01/2024

Consultants were appointed to undertake an options appraisal study for Kirkham Pool. This looks at the feasibility and costs of four potential design concepts. They are:

Design Concept 1 – Minimum Level Proposal to re-commission existing facilities at Station Road.

Design Concept 2 – Enhanced Proposal for Part Refurbishment (of the historic elements of the existing pool buildings) and replacement & remodelling of reception and dry facilities to include for gymnasium and café and enhancements to external works all following inclusive, access-for-all principles.

Design Concept 3 – Proposals to maximise opportunities for new wet and dry leisure facilities at the existing site.

Design Concept 4 – A new facility (of a nominal size) on a site to be determined based on price per square foot/metre within a range and with relevant exclusions and caveats relating variables and unknowns.

12/04/2024

Click the links below for the full report and costings.

Kirkham Baths Options Appraisal

Kirkham Baths Feasibility and Option Costs Summary

Mechanical & Electrical Engineering Services Report

FAQs

To provide clarity and answer questions from residents, we have created a series of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) that address the key considerations highlighted by the Active Lancashire community-wide consultation on the future of sport and leisure facilities in Fylde. These being Communication, Aspirations and Plans, Clarity on Roles and Responsibilities, along with Provision and Facility Sustainability.

These FAQs offer valuable information and insights into the Council’s approach to swimming provisions in Fylde.

Kirkham Pool

The YMCA Fylde Coast began operating the facility in 2009 through an agreement with Fylde Council. The agreement initially involved leasing the facility to the YMCA, followed by the transfer of the freehold to the YMCA in 2011. The agreement included Fylde Council providing an annual subsidy to the YMCA to offer public swimming from the facility.

The council did not close Kirkham Pool.  The ownership of Kirkham Pool was transferred from Fylde Council to the YMCA in 2011 as part of the arrangement to ensure the continued operation of the pool.  Following damage by Storm Arwen in December 2021, the YMCA had to close the pool.  After investigating repair and funding options it was decided in August 2023 that it was not economically viable to re-open the pool and the YMCA announced the permanent closure.

The YMCA own Kirkham pool and are responsible for the facility until it is disposed.  The site has been secured and is regularly checked for health and safety issues. It has also been made secure after vandalism on several occasions.

Following the closure of Kirkham Pool and in response to the Notice of Motion passed at Full Council in October 2023, the council is committed to exploring all options to maintain swimming provision in the area. For detailed updates on this process, including key milestones and decisions, please refer to the YMCA Kirkham Pool Closure Timeline on this page.

St Annes Pool

St Annes Pool is owned by Fylde Council who is responsible for the maintenance of the asset. The YMCA operates the pool and is responsible for the upkeep and general maintenance of the site and receives a subsidy from the council for public swimming provision.

The contract with the YMCA ends in August 2025. To ensure the continued provision of the service, a procurement process will commence this year. A tender process is anticipated in Spring 2025, with the aim of awarding a new contract from September 2025.

The YMCA and the council are working to produce a workplan for the refurbishment of St Annes Pool.  Funding has been secured through the Swimming Pool Support Fund for energy efficiencies to the site.  New boilers and solar panels will be installed in Autumn 2024.  The YMCA has recently installed a new pool cover along with replacing other components that will improve the pool’s energy performance.

Swimming in Fylde

No organisation has a statutory duty to provide public swimming however, like any other physical activity or sport where there is no statutory duty to provide facilities, several organisations are involved.

Swim England
Swim England is responsible for developing the sport of swimming and encouraging participation in aquatic activities at all levels, including recreational and health and wellbeing.

More information here

Fylde Council

Although the council has no statutory duty to provide public swimming it supports swimming provision in Fylde. The council owns St Annes pool and provides the operator with an annual subsidy to ensure public swimming.

Schools

All local authority-maintained schools must provide swimming instruction either in key stage 1 or key stage 2. Pupils should be taught to:

  • Swim competently, confidently, and proficiently over a distance of at least 25 meters.
  • Use a range of strokes effectively (e.g., front crawl, backstroke, and breaststroke).
  • Perform safe self-rescue in different water-based situations.

More information here

The council has several initiatives to support public swimming provision which include an annual subsidy, ownership of St Annes pool, secured grant for improvement to St Annes pool, has funded the Active Lancashire Survey, and also funded design work to support organisations developing a business case to re-open Kirkham pool.

Despite challenges related to increased costs and travel times, the latest data on swimming participation rates (2022/23) shows that Fylde maintains a higher rate of regular participation compared to both Lancashire and England. This trend suggests that many residents in Fylde are still finding places to swim, even in the face of increased barriers.

Swimming Participation (2022/23)

The participation rates from the below table have been taken from Sport England’s Active Lives Survey.

 

  Adults   Children (5-16)
% of population Twice in the last 28 Days At least once in the last year At least once in last week
Fylde Borough 11.0% 30.5% N/A
Lancashire 7.6% 23.4% 26.6%
England 9.0% 26.9% 26.1%

Note: there was no data available for Fylde for Children participation since 2019/20 when 31.3% of the population swam compared to 22.6% (Lancashire) and 23% (England)

The Fylde Corporate Plan 2024 – 2028 includes a commitment to provide high quality parks, open spaces and leisure facilities.  The strategy is to facilitate and support public swimming but not to directly operate facilities, as the council does not have the necessary resource to do this.

A new Leisure Strategy has been commissioned in 2024 to outline the future of sport and physical activity in the borough. It will be informed by findings from reports such as the Active Lancashire Survey to identify local need as well as incorporating the Government and UK’s Chief Medical Officers guidance.

YMCA Kirkham Pool Closure Timeline

Below, you will find a timeline of activity since the closure of Kirkham Pool which includes links to relevant committee documents and press releases. This timeline will be updated as the project progresses, helping readers remain informed on the most recent developments.

We are currently at Stage 8 of the timeline below.

2023
Stage 1: Kirkham Pool Closure

On the 10th August 2023, the YMCA Kirkham Rural Splash facility closed permanently due to significant structural damage caused by Storm Arwen in December 2021. Efforts to repair the damage and reopen the facility were hindered by the high costs involved, including replacing the damaged roof and addressing aging infrastructure issues. Read YMCA’s press release here Read our statement here

Stage 2: Submission of Disposal Plan

In accordance with the 2009 agreement under which YMCA Fylde Coast obtained the freehold ownership of the facility and continued to operate it, YMCA Fylde Coast submitted to Fylde Council for consideration a Disposal Plan on 10th November 2023, within the required three months of the closure event. The Disposal Plan sets out proposals for the future of the asset…Read More

Stage 3: Executive Committee

Fylde Council’s Executive Committee considered a report following the notice of motion at Full Council on 2 October 2023. The report approved expenditure to commission a major report from Active Lancashire to consult with key local stakeholders and existing swimming providers in Fylde to understand the existing position, potential challenges and opportunities for the short, medium and long term. This…Read More

2024
Stage 4: Disposal Plan Agreed

Following discussion, Fylde Council and YMCA Fylde Coast agreed the details of the Disposal Plan. The agreed plan will allow community groups to submit an Expression of Interest (EoI) in taking on the facility and allow time to develop a business plan for its operation. For more detailed information about the Disposal Plan and the potential outcomes, read the full…Read More

Stage 5: Expressions of Interest Open

From Friday 12 April 2024, voluntary and community bodies can submit an Expression of Interest in acquiring and operating the Kirkham swimming facility using the dedicated online form. This submission period will run for six weeks, until Friday 24 May 2024.  Applicants that have made an Expression of Interest will be contacted by email when the Expression of Interest period…Read More

Stage 6: Business Plan Submissions

Start of ten-week period for any charity, community group or local authority that have expressed an interest to work up business plans. Criteria and advice have been published on the preparation of business plans which is available at this link. Groups that have expressed an interest are advised to read through this document and tailor their submission accordingly. Please note…Read More

Stage 7: Evaluation of Business Plans to Commence

Following the submission deadline on Friday 2 August, we have received one business plan in relation to acquiring and operating the Kirkham swimming facility. An evaluation of the business plan will now take place, and the outcome of this will be communicated.

Stage 8: End of Evaluation and Recommendations

Fylde Council continues to work closely with the YMCA and a promising Community Interest Company (CIC) who submitted a business plan for the Kirkham swimming facility. The disposal plan was originally set to conclude on 18 October, however proposals to extend this time period are under consideration which allow the Council to work with the CIC to strengthen the  business…Read More

Stage 9: Scrutiny Committee

The Scrutiny Committee examined a detailed report outlining the business plan submitted by the CIC interest in taking over Kirkham Pool. The committee evaluated the risks and opportunities associated with this proposal, recommending a series of measures to the Executive Committee on 5 November. Read the full report here

Stage 10: Executive Committee

An extension of the Kirkham Pool Disposal Plan with the YMCA was agreed at the Executive Committee to a backstop date of 17th February 2025. It was decided the council would continue exploring all practical options for the provision of swimming in Kirkham following a comprehensive review by the Community Focus Scrutiny Committee on 29 October. The Council has agreed…Read More

11 December 2024

The CIC Wave Reach has made the decision to withdraw from its role in acquiring and operating Kirkham Pool. The YMCA will formally hand back ownership of the site to the council no later than 17 February 2025, and it is now included in the procurement process for the new leisure contract, along with St Annes Pool. Read the full…Read More

2025