Cuts to Public Swimming Services in Fife

That the Parliament notes with concern the reductions in the budget of the Fife Sport and Leisure Trust; understands that these are resulting in a reduction in access to public swimming in a number of Fife swimming pools; recognises the campaign led by retired residents of the Cardenden area against the closure of Bowhill swimming pool on weekday mornings to save money on staffing; believes that such closures run contrary to the spirit of many local authority and Scottish Government strategies aimed at tackling poor health, improving wellbeing and reducing social isolation and loneliness; notes that Fife Council established the charitable Trust as a step to avoid paying business rates on its leisure facility buildings; is concerned that, despite the Trust warnings to Fife Council that the consequences of continued reductions in its management fee threatens access to public swimming, the local authority continues to make these reductions; understands that the Trust was set up in 2008 to manage and operate leisure facilities on behalf of Fife Council and was paid a management fee of £6 million, and believes that having reduced the management fee to £2 million, Fife Council must now consult with the people of Fife on their priorities before making any more reductions to public swimming in Fife.