A leisure centre in Mansfield is set to benefit from £61,500 of funding following a successful bid by the council.

Mansfield District Council sought the funds under the government’s Swimming Pool Support Fund (SPSF) and was successful in its application for improvements at Rebecca Adlington Leisure Centre.

It is the second phase of the SPSF which has seen a total of £60 million made available to help public swimming pools cope with increased running costs as well as make them greener.

A total of £55,000 was awarded to install new solar panels on the roof of the building and a further £6,500 to install additional monitoring software for improved energy management.

The funding, which is being administered by Sport England, was formally accepted by the council on 12 February.

Coun Andy Burgin, portfolio holder for Environment and Leisure, said: “This is fantastic news in our journey to making the leisure centres in Mansfield greener, and my thanks go to the officers and our partners Serco Leisure for putting a strong application together.

“The installation of the new green technology will not just be felt in the short term but will also benefit our young people, the environment, and the ongoing running costs of the centre by reducing the amount of carbon dioxide our buildings produce in the long term.”

The SPSF aims to provide funding to local authorities in England as a support package for public leisure facilities with swimming pools and is split into two phases. Phase one is revenue projects to support facilities with increased cost pressures, and phase two is capital money to improve the energy efficiency of public facilities in the medium to long term.

Lisa Dodd-Mayne, executive director – Place said: “Swimming pools and leisure centres are vital community resources and are enormously important in helping people to be physically active.

“Many pools have faced a real and significant threat to their survival this year, as local authorities and operators have battled the challenge of increased energy and wider costs, weakened reserves and difficulties with retaining staff.

“Sport England is proud of the role we’ve played in supporting these facilities through this difficult period.  We hope today’s funding announcement will enable more public pools to improve their energy efficiency to be more environmentally and financially sustainable, so they remain available for future generations to enjoy.”

The council’s three leisure centres – Rebecca Adlington, Water Meadows, and Oak Tree – are all run by Serco Leisure/More Leisure Community Trust. It will be delivering the greening works scheme on the council’s behalf.

Brian Taylor, chair of the More Community Leisure Trust said: “Ensuring the long-term sustainability of health and wellbeing facilities such as the Rebecca Adlington Leisure Centre is crucial, so we are absolutely delighted at this green funding news.”

Serco Leisure/More Leisure Community Trust has previously installed solar panels at Oak Tree which has helped to generate significant savings for the council, as well as make the centres more energy efficient. Panels are also due to be installed at Water Meadows in the coming months.

Sports minister Stuart Andrew added: “Millions of people swim every year in England, but high energy costs mean some pools are struggling financially. I know from personal experience the health benefits of getting down to your local pool, whether that’s just for a few lengths, to swim with friends, or a water aerobics class.

“This further £60 million of support from the Government and Sport England will make hundreds of swimming pools more energy efficient so they can keep offering their vital community and health benefits for generations to come.”

To find out more, click here to visit the Swimming Pool Support Fund page on Sport England’s website.