Penrith Swimming Club Dispute Reaches Parliament As MP Tables Motion
A campaign to protect Penrith Swimming Club’s junior swimming lessons has reached Parliament, with the town’s MP calling for plans affecting the club to be withdrawn.
Markus Campbell-Savours, MP for Penrith and Solway, has tabled an Early Day Motion calling for proposals affecting the club’s Learn to Swim programme to be reconsidered. The move follows concerns about the future of the club’s access to facilities at Penrith Leisure Centre.
Penrith Swimming Club, which has been part of the community for 145 years, was told by leisure centre operator GLL that it would no longer be authorised to run its junior sessions following the summer break. The club has strongly opposed the proposal and has been campaigning for its existing programme to continue.
The dispute centres on the use of the teaching pool at Penrith Leisure Centre. GLL operates the facility on behalf of Westmorland and Furness Council, which has acknowledged the swimming club’s long contribution to the local community and the development of swimming in the area.
The club has highlighted its historic contribution to the Frenchfield Teaching Pool. It helped raise tens of thousands of pounds towards the facility during the 1990s, strengthening its argument that it has played an important role in providing swimming opportunities for local children over many years.
Westmorland and Furness Council has stressed that no final decision has been made regarding the future arrangements. The authority has also confirmed that there has been no suggestion of impropriety involving the club’s volunteers and noted that the organisation has maintained the highest level of Swim England accreditation for 10 consecutive years.
One option being considered is for the swimming club and GLL to operate separate beginner swimming programmes alongside one another. The council has apologised for the confusion caused by the review, while the club continues to argue that both programmes should be able to operate and give families a choice.
The campaign has attracted significant local support, with a petition launched by Penrith Swimming Club receiving more than 2,000 signatures. Penrith Town Council has also backed the club’s position, adding further local pressure for a resolution.
Campbell-Savours visited the swimming pool to meet club members before taking the issue to Westminster. His Early Day Motion formally records his concerns and calls on Westmorland and Furness Council to consider its contractual options in relation to the leisure centre operator.
The motion highlights the club’s volunteer-led approach and its role in teaching young swimmers through the Swim England Learn to Swim programme. It also raises concerns that restricting the club’s access could affect the pathway for children who progress from beginner lessons into competitive swimming.
The parliamentary motion further argues that changes to the club’s access could influence where families choose to take swimming lessons. It calls for the council to consider the wider implications for swimming development in Penrith and the opportunities available to young people.
Luke Brown, a member of the club committee, described the parliamentary intervention as a significant moment for the campaign. He said the issue had developed rapidly since the club was informed of the proposed change and welcomed the MP’s decision to take the concerns of swimmers, parents and volunteers to Westminster.
The club has stressed that its campaign is not intended to prevent GLL from providing swimming lessons. Instead, its stated position is that the two programmes should be able to coexist, allowing families to retain a choice while ensuring the club can continue its established pathway into competitive swimming.
The club has also said it wants to work constructively with GLL and Westmorland and Furness Council. Its aim is to secure a formal arrangement that provides clarity for all parties while protecting the future of swimming opportunities for children and young people in Penrith.
Early Day Motions are used by MPs to place their views on record or draw attention to particular issues and campaigns. Although they do not normally result in a parliamentary debate, they can provide a formal platform for raising concerns and demonstrating political support for a local campaign.
The latest development means the future of Penrith Swimming Club’s junior provision is now being discussed at both local and parliamentary levels. With the petition attracting more than 2,000 signatures and discussions continuing between the organisations involved, attention is now focused on whether an agreement can be reached that allows the club to continue its long-established role in the town.
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