THE COST of running the publicly-funded Wales National Pool Swansea rose last year and visitor numbers fell, a report has said.
The not-for-profit swimming venue has a 50m pool and a 25m pool and seating for more than 1,000 spectators. It’s funded by Swansea University and Swansea Council on a 50% share of cost after income.
A report before the council’s cabinet said the pool had 181,503 visitors between the beginning of August 2023 and the end of July 2024 compared to 190,894 in the previous 12-month period.
Income from swimmers increased slightly, from £1,327,459 to £1,355,561, while operating costs rose from £2,602,225 to £2,931,439 although this sum includes an element of equipment deprecation.
The report said the council’s contribution was £682,138, up from £540,049 the previous year. It said the fall in visitor numbers was likely to be caused by difficulties drawing accurate data from the pool’s computer system.
The report added: “Staffing remained a challenge, particularly lifeguards and teachers. This did impact the programme, however significant effort has been made to resolve these issues and WNPS (Wales National Pool Swansea) looked to be in a better position towards the end of 2023-24, especially with teachers, which in turn allowed the expansion of the aqua school programme.”
The venue, off Sketty Lane, Sketty, held 32.5 event days including a three-day British Masters meet, and coaches and swimmers from the pool represented Britain at the Paris Olympics last summer. Work carried out during the year included new starter blocks and timing system, plus lighting repairs.
The report also listed income and visitor numbers at seven leisure centres in Swansea, including the city centre LC, which are run on the council’s behalf by a not-for-profit trust called Freedom Leisure.
Visitor numbers across the seven sites came to 1,878,928 in 2023-24, up from 1,825,854 the previous year. Total income also increased, from £8,061,620 to £8,313,737.
The council pays Freedom Leisure a management fee each year – in 2023-24 it was £987,026 – and a further £228,542 was also provided by the authority to help with increased utility and staff costs and cost-of-living pressures.
Visitor numbers at another popular leisure venue, Plantasia Tropical Zoo, fell from 117,212 to 111,697 in the 2024 calendar year, while income dipped from £946,284 to £935,886. The council paid the not-for-profit operator, Parkwood Leisure, a £148,844 management fee.
Investment during the year included a prehistoric installation entitled Giants of the Past. A Plantasia-themed Top Trumps card game was also launched.
A cultural venue where visitor numbers rose significantly – from 181,989 to 237,629 – was the National Waterfront Museum. The Swansea Marina building is a not-for-profit limited entity, set up via a council and Welsh Government Museum Wales partnership, with Museum Wales managing it.
Income at the museum crept up from £2,138,659 to £2,167,430, with the council contributing £564,905. The cabinet report will be discussed at a meeting on April 10.
