SWIMMING pools in Liskeard and Saltash – and across Cornwall - are set be open from today after a rescue package was agreed between Cornwall Council and operator GLL.

In Saltash, the leisure centre itself will be opening for the first time since the national lockdown began in March.

Cornwall Council has agreed to provide just over £6 million to GLL and the organisations that run other independent leisure centres in the county.

The cash is in the form of £4.4m in loans, with a further £1.7m in grants, loan holidays and contract payments.

The news has been welcomed by local people including Saltash town councillor Sarah Martin, who said she was “over the moon that the leisure centre would once again be open for business and that staff could get back to work”.

But not every single member of staff will be returning to work: the cafes in both Liskeard and Saltash Leisure Centres have been shut to accommodate gym equipment. Three staff roles have been made redundant in Saltash and two in Liskeard.

Manager at Liskeard Brett Price said that the cafe would remain shut for at least the short to mid-term, and that it had been up to local centres how to best allocate the space within the buildings. The gym equipment needed to be spread out to enable correct social distancing for members and users, he said.

Saltash councillor Sarah Martin said: “I know the effort that went into those negotiations with GLL, but despite the rescue package offered by Cornwall Council, we are by no means out of the woods. The leisure centre needs sustained support, and it’s time that the ‘real action’ our local MP Sheryll Murray says she is taking brings some real help from central government to secure the long-term future of the facility.”

GLL and Cornwall Council are still pressing the Government for more funding to help leisure centres get back on a sustainable footing. Community interest company GLL said its finances have been hit extremely hard by the COVID lockdown.

But deputy leader of Cornwall Council Adam Paynter also said that the Council would be carrying out a review of leisure operations and that “GLL had not run things as profitably as had been hoped”.

In Liskeard, Councillor Nick Craker also welcomed the fact that Cornwall Council had agreed to provide financial support.

“I’ve been lobbying and campaigning on this since leisure centres were able to reopen over the summer,” he said.

“Liskeard’s swimming pool was unable to re-open because of its smaller size and the Covid restrictions impacting on viability. I’m so pleased the Council have now listened to my pleas to support leisure facilities here.”

Cllr Craker added that MP Sheryll Murray had been “ incredibly helpful and supportive” in making the case for Liskeard and other leisure facilities across South East Cornwall, arranging a meeting with Sport Minister Nigel Huddleston and GLL.

Cllr Craker feels that one problem has been that there has been a “lack of leisure strategy at Cornwall Council since it outsourced leisure centres in 2018”.

“It is so important that we have a leisure strategy in Cornwall with the facilities to match. Local leisure centres are vital for residents and families in Liskeard.”

MP Sheryll Murray added: “These swimming pools are so important and I am pleased that the Council has at last agreed to re-open them.  If they had fallen into disrepair because of a prolonged closure then reopening them could have become a disaster. 

“Swimming pools are important for people to learn to swim.  On a peninsula where we have so many water dangers I see this as being so important.  Tourists, which are so important to our economy, also need something to do when it rains and the swimming pool is a massive favourite.  They also keep people healthy which contributes to getting people over COVID if they do get it.”