The debate about the future of publicly-owned swimming pools in West Lancashire has reignited, after councillors clashed over a report mentioning the pools and one councillor claimed he understood the sites could face closure next year.

Earlier this year, Park Pool in Ormskirk and Nye Bevan Pool in Skelmersdale both faced closure in budget plans for the current financial year, which started in April.

The idea came after a West Lancashire Council report said continuing to run the two pools was not financially viable, even at reduced hours or by increasing membership fees.

Labour councillors said reluctantly they had no other choice, based on council officers’ advice, nut the plan was disputed.

There were protests from the public and opposition councillors, and some West Lancashire councillors left the ruling Labour group in protest.

Later, the pools were kept open following a crunch vote at a special council meeting.

But the topic arose again at the latest full council meeting.

It came when councillors discussed a report described as a ‘summary of key achievements’ linked to the council”s vision and priorities for the 2023-2028 period.

Lancashire residents earlier this yearprotesting against the closure of Park Pool in Ormskirk and Nye Bevan Pool in Skelmersdale | LDRS

placeholder image — Lancashire residents earlier this yearprotesting against the closure of Park Pool in Ormskirk and Nye Bevan Pool in Skelmersdale | LDRS

One section had the ‘main achievements delivered for the public and the borough during 2024-25’ which included the pools.

Separately, all councils are currently working towards setting their new budgets in early 2026 and awaiting a government funding review.

Our West Lancashire (OWL) Coun Neil Furey was one of the borough councillors who left Labour over the swimming pools controversy and at the latest council meeting, he attacked the ruling Labour group.

He said: “I’m pleased we managed to keep Park Pool and Nye Bevan open. The position in February this year was that they wanted to closed the pools. Now they say they are pleased they kept them open. But now, with some of the things I’m hearing, we are probably looking to close them in the coming year?

“We cannot have a position saying we are closing the pools then saying we’re delighted they are open. We need a clear position for the public. I am not happy with this.”

Labour Coun Carl Coughlan said: “There was no Labour councillor who wanted to close the pools. We wanted to present a balanced budget. The advice was from officers about the leisure services budget.”

Conservative Coun David Westley said: “Councillor Coughlan’s remarks sum-up why Labour is in difficulty. He is arguing both ways.”

Regarding other public services, Coun David Whittington, the Conservative opposition leader, highlighted the report’s section about public satisfaction with bin collections.

He hinted at this summer’s disrupted bin collections, which were said to be linked to factors including bin crews’ working arrangements, management and council leadership.

He said: ” I note the report refers to an 88 per cent satisfaction rate for recycling and bin collections. But I wonder how that will be in future reports? I also note the report states further changes will be needed and talks about reductions. Perhaps a better description would be Labour has spent all the money and we are broke?”

But Labour’s Mark Anderson, a leading councillor with a financial remit, said: “This is a retrospective report looking back at the 2024-25 financial year. It’s intended to be as politically-neutral as possible about the council. If we had descended into political commentary, like David Whittington, we would have said Labour managed to keep the lights on following 14 years of Tory cuts.”