FOI Request - Swimming Pool Closures

Request 101003270969

This is a request under the Freedom of Information Act, and I seek information on swimming pool closures and government funding.

Please state:

1) The number of public swimming pools in your council area at the end of the year. Please provide the following breakdowns:
- Data for the following years: 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 (latest available)

2) The number of public swimming pools that have closed each year in your council area. Please provide the following breakdowns:
- Data for the following years: 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 (latest available)

3) The number of public swimming pools that have opened each year in your council area. Please provide the following breakdowns:
- Data for the following years: 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 (latest available)

4) The total amount of funding you have received from the Scottish Government that go towards public swimming pools in your council area. Please provide the following breakdowns:
- Data for the following years: 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 (latest available)
- What the funding has gone towards

5) The total number of days each year that public swimming pools have been closed in your council area
- Data for the following years: 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 (latest available)
- Reason for closure

Response 10-04-2023

1. Moray Council has five public access swimming pools.

2. None - Lossiemouth was closed in 2021 but replaced with a new facility.

3. One opened to replace an existing pool (Lossiemouth).

4. Not held. The Scottish Government funding is not broken down to swimming pools. Information that is not held falls under Section 17 of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 - Information not held.
 

5. Generally there have been no major closures apart from the statutory public holidays of which there are seven per year. There are occasional days when a pool is closed for a maintenance issue or fault or perhaps water contamination. Forres Swimming Pool was closed for twelve months on 2004 / 2005 for a refurbishment. Clubs and users were relocated to our other facilities during this time.