Hastings District Council to consider proposal to close Frimley Pool
The closure of the Frimley Pool is one of the proposals that the Hastings District Council will consider in a bid to cut costs in the face of mounting debt.
The closure is expected to save the Council $250,000 per annum, documents reveal.
The Hastings District Council will meet tomorrow to decide whether or not it takes its Long Term Plan for 2024-2034 and a proposed 25 percent out to public consultations.
Hastings District Council has mounting debts, with the current total sitting at $400m, which sees the local authority paying $16m in interest per year alone. Added to that are the Council's growing Cyclone Gabrielle recovery costs.
In consultation documents in the Council's Long Term Plan released ahead of the meeting, it has been proposed that there will be a rates rise of 25 percent in the first year, followed by a 15 percent rate increase the year after and a 10 percent increase in 2026/27.
The consultation documents say that rapidly declining use of the Frimley Pool, leading to increasing costs to ratepayers has led to the proposal.
“At such low numbers, operating the pool costs $32 per user, with adults (aged over 18) paying just $6 for entry. Ratepayers fund the balance.”
“The rapidly declining use of the pool, future investment requirements, the availability of lane-swimming at the nearby Mitre 10 Park pool, and a recommendation in the Aquatics Strategy to close the pool are the key reasons.”
The documents say that closure of the pool would save about $250,000 per annum and that some plant and equipment could be repurposed to other pools.
“Council is in discussion with schools that have historically used the pool and may consider alternative arrangements with them or other interested parties such as leasing if that is workable.”
“Given the land’s reserve status, the most likely future use of the site is as an extension of Frimley Park. Some closure and reinstatement costs would be incurred but these would be funded from savings from closing the pool,” the documents say.
Frimley Pool is a three-pool outdoor complex located next to Frimley Park.
Open during the summer months, Frimley Pool features a 50-metre pool with adjacent grandstand; as well as a learner and toddler pool.
