Woking Conservatives have launched a plan to save Pool in the Park, which is currently threatened by closure under a series of cuts proposed by the Liberal Democrat-run borough council. 

The council has to cut some £11million from its day-to-day “business as usual” budget from 2024-25 – and closing Pool in the Park is one of its headline proposals.

In response, the Conservatives’ five-point plan includes treating the profitable Eastwood Leisure Centre in Sheerwater, which generates more than £100k a year, and Pool in the Park as one service, as closing one of the facilities would directly impact the other. 

It would also give Freedom Leisure, which runs the centre, more independence to manage the service away from Woking Borough Council.

Woking Conservatives’ plan would also introduce a ringfenced fund for maintenance and improvements in the future.  

The plan also includes working with local groups to determine optimum pool temperatures and reduce utility costs, and allows for work to ensure that the cost of using leisure facilities in Woking remains in line with other boroughs to keep swimming in Woking accessible to all.  

Woking MP Jonathan Lord said: “Nearly 8,000 people have already backed the campaign to save Pool in the Park.

“I am delighted that the Conservative Group has stepped up with an imaginative and practical plan to do just that.

“This shouldn’t be about party politics – we need to save this vital facility and I encourage the council’s administration to adopt the suggestions that my colleagues and I have put forward.”  

Cllr Kevin Davis, Conservative Group leader at Woking Borough Council, said: “This plan is the result of weeks of meetings, questions and information gathering – it hasn’t been easy to put together, given some of the sketchy information provided by the council.

“Now we have developed and put forward our plan, we invite the Liberal Democrat administration to work with us and all other parties to keep Pool in the Park open.”

For further context and information regarding these proposals, visit Cllr Davis’ blog post at https://cllrkevindavis.me