Council pool closures will lead to more deaths by drowning, retired police office warns

Dundee Council proposals to potentially close the pools at five secondary schools in the city have been met with ire from local swim chiefs.

Last week it was revealed council officers have drawn up a list of possible cost-cutting measures they say could save the city around £6 million.

This includes plans to close the pools at Baldragon, Grove, and Harris academies, St John’s RC High School, and St Paul’s RC High School.

Dundee City Council is currently facing a £15m deficit in its efforts to balance next year’s budget.

The proposals were heard during a meeting of the council’s city governance on Monday.

Councillors were being asked to approve a four-week consultation, which would allow members of the public to have their say on the plans.

However, addressing committee members, president of Dundee City Aquatics David McIntosh argued more information was needed for people to make a judgement.

The retired police officer said: “Death by drowning in Scotland is twice the UK average, and not without our own tragedy in Dundee over recent years.

“If all of the pools were to close it would seem logical that rate would go up.

“(So) are we content with what you’re being asked to approve as the consultation?

He added: “I accept there are significant challenges about the budget and there is going to have to be a lot of evidence-led decisions made.

“But if we’re going out to consultation with the bare minimum information – just the closure of these pools – we could argue here that we are morally bankrupt.”

Committee member Jax Finnegan, Labour councillor for the North East ward, also shared a personal story to highlight the importance of swimming provision.

She said: “(My grandson) and his friends got caught in the water, and it was actually Grove pupils that went in to save him.

“We need swimming in the community, we need to have these lessons and pools near us.”

The city governance committee subsequently approved the public consultation, which will begin later this month.

The outcome will be shared with councillors before the Dundee budget is set in February.

Council leader Mark Flynn said: “These are proposals not by the administration but by council officers in light of the possible savings that have to be made.

“This is the consultation process, The results of that consultation will come back to elected members for their views.

“Every political party will be looking at their budget and seeing how they want to go forward with that.”