A Scottish government swimming pool that lay empty for three years costing thousands is now set to close for good in order to save money and help 'support the environment.'
The leisure facility at Victoria Quay in Leith was closed in 2020 due to the Covid pandemic and never reopened again - yet has cost £80,000 to maintain.
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Labour and Lib Dem leaders have slammed Scottish government bosses for trying to tackle the £1.7bn funding crisis by pulling the plug on the staff swimming pool.
A government source told the Record: “This decision, without any consultation, clearly demonstrates the leadership have no regard for staff wellbeing or community health.
“I’ve never known a decision alienate staff as much as this. This is a backward penny-pinching exercise with no thought about opening it up to the community who are in need of leisure facilities. Using carbon targets is a pathetic excuse to hide such a failure of a decision.”
Acting Finance Secretary John Swinney warned last month that inflation had eroded government funds to the tune of £1.7bn and public bodies are having to make savings. An email to civil servants has revealed the pool at the government HQ is to close permanently.
It states: “This decision follows a review to look at reducing our carbon footprint across the estate and will eradicate the costs and carbon emissions associated with running our only pool, providing better value for money for the people of Scotland and supporting the Scottish Government to meet its ambitious net zero emissions target by 2045.”
The poll closed temporarily in 2020 due to covid and has never reopened - much to the frustration of staff.
Running costs for maintaining an empty pool over the last three years have come to nearly £80,000. No lifeguards are currently employed.
Labour MSP Daniel Johnson said: “Once again, SNP financial mismanagement is making a splash.
“While millions of Scots struggle to stay warm this winter, the SNP government has spent £78,000 on running a closed swimming pool.
“This is a substantial waste of public money that should have been put towards protecting families this winter.
“Confidence in this SNP government is bombing– but we are not even at the deep end of the SNP’s financial incompetence.”
Joy Dunn of the PCS civil servants’ trade union said: “Before this decision was taken PCS would have welcomed the opportunity to discuss the proposal and explore other potential options.
“However, this was a unilateral decision by management that has been badly handled and made without any meaningful consultation with the users of the pool. At a time where staff are being encouraged to go back into offices management have totally disregarded the benefits of improving health and wellbeing.”
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Lib Dem MSP Willie Rennie said: “Whilst taxpayers have been drowning in energy bills, they will be astonished the Scottish Government was still throwing money down the drain with an expensive swimming pool.”
A Scottish government spokesperson said: “We are committed to transitioning Scotland to net zero, and the swimming pool in Victoria Quay has been highlighted as part of a review of carbon savings.
“Carbon emissions, increasing costs and under-utilisation have led to the conclusion that keeping the pool running is no longer the right thing to do.”
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