Stewartry's only council-run swimming pool could be facing the axe

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The Stewartry’s only council-run swimming pool could be facing the axe.

Closing the Castle Douglas facility is one of nearly 50 options the public is being asked to consider as part of a consultation on the local authority’s budget.

And a number of Stewartry schools could be under threat as another proposal is to mothball those with rolls under 25.

Castle Douglas and Crocketford councillor, Iain Howie, is a member of the Democratic Alliance.

He said: “We’re a group of three, so I will probably be presented with the choice of two budgets – one from the administration and one from the others.

“I will have to look and see what is least damaging to the ward – but I would find it extremely difficult to support a budget which included closing the swimming pool.

“I can’t say I definitely wouldn’t because it depends what the other budget includes.

“Another thing was looking at schools, so if one of them was keeping schools open, backing that against the swimming pool, I would have to judge what I thought was least damaging.”

The council needs to chop
£10million from its budget in each of the next three years and is looking for public opinion on 48 potential “savings options”.

If all were selected, they would generate £5.3 million of savings in 2025/26, rising to £16.524 million in 2027/28.

The consultation webpage states: “With increasing demand for services in our large rural area and reduced funding, it’s time to rethink how we deliver those services.

“The reality is we need to change, cut or even stop some services, and generate extra income from fees and charges.

“We value your input and we want to understand how the potential savings that we have identified might affect you.”

Stewartry area committee was recently told there were more than 65,000 visits to Castle Douglas Swimming Pool and Fitness Suite last year.

And it is in line for an upgrade and refurbishment costing more than £1million.

However, one of the options out for consultation is to “reduce the number of leisure facilities operated by our council by closing Castle Douglas Swimming Pool and Fitness Suite and reducing/reviewing opening times at other council leisure facilities during periods of low use”. It is claimed this could generate savings of up to £200,000 a year.

Also under consideration is changing the council’s school mothballing policy.

At present, when a school roll drops to 10 pupils or fewer, a school can be considered for mothballing. A savings option suggests the threshold is changed to 25 pupils, which could save £2 million by 2027/28.

Lochrutton and Colvend primaries narrowly escaped mothballing this year. A report for May’s education committee meeting revealed each school had eight pupils.

It also revealed there were eight pupils at Lochrutton, 12 at Palnackie and 17 at Shawhead, with Auchencairn and Kells just above the 25 pupil threshold.

Other options include reducing layby bins – saving £42,000 a year – and either closing some public toilets and community halls or transferring them to community ownership – something which could save more than £700,000 a year.

One other idea is parking charges including an ‘invitation to pay’ option, or a phased implementation of mandatory parking charges across the region with pilot activity starting in Dumfries.

The consultation, available at www.dumgal.gov.uk/budget, will run until December 6, with the results revealed at a full council meeting the following week.

The responses provided will help guide councillors in setting the 2025/26 budget in February.

Council leader, Councillor Gail Macgregor, said: “Due to the huge financial pressures faced by all local authorities, we’ve already had to save £130m over the last 15 years. To balance our books we need to find more savings.

“Over the next three financial years we face a £30 million budget deficit – that’s a further £10 million we need to save each year until 2028.

“With increasing demand for services in our large rural area and reduced funding, it’s time to rethink how we deliver services.

“The reality is we need to change, reduce or even stop some services and generate extra income from fees and charges.”

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