Discussion on proposals to close Falkirk district high school pools postponed

Grangemouth is one of four high schools where the pool is under threat of closure and a report had been prepared for Wednesday’s meeting for a decision to be made.

However, chief executive Kenneth Lawrie told councillors it would not be possible to present the report as planned “due to unforeseen circumstances” and proposed it be continued to a later meeting.

The report revealed that the council wants to press ahead with the closure of the pools in Grangemouth, Larbert, Falkirk and Graeme High Schools, although most won’t close immediately.

However, Grangemouth High School’s pool will close in August this year, if elected members agree.

Following that closure, information from the process will help decide if, how and when the other school pools will close.

Falkirk Council’s education bosses say they will look at how Grangemouth High manages to adapt its PE curriculum to cope with the closure and how easily other groups who use the pool are able to find alternative venues.

The report says that Grangemouth was chosen for several reasons: It is close to pools in Grangemouth Sports Centre and Carrongrange High School; it is the smallest of the four schools targeted; and it was the last of the four pools to be staffed to allow wider public access.

Falkirk Council says it has no alternative to making such decisions as it faces a budget deficit of £67 million over the next four years and has an “over-provision” of swimming pools.