Row over Exeter swimming pool closure

The closure of a Devon swimming pool will be discussed on Tuesday after campaigners handed in a petition opposing the plans with more than 2,000 signatures.

People fighting to keep Northbrook swimming pool in Exeter open said the facility was "a lifeline" for regular users in a disadvantaged area of the city.

Protesters said they also wanted to know why an email, seen by the BBC, was sent to staff telling them a decision had been made to close the pool before any public consultation was carried out - going directly against the council's stated policy.

Exeter City Council said there had now been a "comprehensive assessment" of the impact of closing the pool and a decision had yet to be made.

Colleen Natola, who swims at Northbrook four or five times a week, said: "It's diabolical because the council has not paid any attention to the people of this community.

"I sometimes feel like we're forgotten about because it is a disadvantaged area.

"Hopefully campaigners are demonstrating that we do count and we should have a voice."

Exeter City Council voted to cut the budget for leisure centre services by £586,000 on 25 February.

An Exeter City Council email sent to staff on 27 February said: "The decision has been made to manage the closure of Northbrook swimming pool, subject to the completion of the necessary consultation."

The council then issued a public statement on 11 March which said: "The decision to close Northbrook Swimming Pool will only be considered after hearing from the community it serves and after assessing the impact of the potential closure on its users."

Ms Natola said the council's handling of the closure had been "disgraceful".

Exeter City Council adopted a Consultation Charter in July 2021, setting out when it should carry out public consultations.

In the charter, the council promises to "consult residents and other stakeholders whenever a decision will directly affect them and when they might have a reasonable expectation that they should be involved" and says any consultation "must happen before the decision is made".

The public consultation took place for six weeks between 11 March and 22 April 2025.

A new St Sidwell's Point £44m leisure centre opened in the city centre in 2022.

In a statement, Exeter City Council said the budget set in February "took into consideration potential savings" across leisure services.

A spokesperson said: "The council recently completed an extensive consultation with users of Northbrook pool, stakeholders and members of the community and has considered the impact of a potential closure of the facility through a comprehensive assessment.

"This information will be put to councillors alongside key income and expenditure data to consider before making a decision."

Swim England, the national governing body for swimming, said there was an "escalating crisis" facing public swimming pools as councils struggled to balance budgets.

Phil Brownlie, head of public affairs at Swim England, said: "Sadly, the picture we're seeing in Exeter is one that is being replicated up and down the country.

"Over a thousand pools have closed since 2010 - that's a net loss up and down the country of about 500 pools."

Mr Brownlie said swimming pools were "much-loved parts of their communities" and there was always "a huge impact when they are lost".

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