Pool creche used by seven children could be closed

The future of a town's creche which is used by up to seven children a day hangs in the balance after it was revealed to be losing the council £50,000 each year.

The facility at Corby East Midlands International Pool is for children aged three months to five years.

North Northamptonshire Council plans to move the management of leisure facilities it owns back in-house from April 2027 and the creche could be lost as a "consequence". Labour said the facility was under-publicised.

Reform UK councillor Brian Benneyworth said: "Where there are realistic and financially sustainable alternatives for services such as the Corby Pool creche, of course we should be prepared to explore them."

During an executive meeting this week, plans to bring leisure facilities across Kettering, Desborough, Thrapston, Rushden and Wellingborough back under council management were backed unanimously.

However, the authority said there would be a number of "consequences" in doing this including getting rid of posts at the Corby facilities, membership prices at Corby Pool & Lodge Park Sports Centre increasing by £2 and the closure of the Corby Pool creche.

Labour councillor Mark Pengelly said closure of the creche was not debated or discussed during consultation and families described the facility as being poorly advertised.

He said: "So why do we want to lose it? Let's look at investing in it, let's look at putting it out there, letting people know there's a facility that people can use."

Benneyworth, executive member for health leisure services, said the council "had a duty to consider the evidence" and ensure its resources were used effectively.

He said a review of the service found the creche was operating at 14% of its capacity and only used by up to seven children a day.

He argued there was "significant marketing" for the service and said it was the low take-up that had led to a challenging financial position.

"While I fully understand and appreciate why many people want to see the creche remain open, the question is whether it's sustainable to continue subsidising a service at this level when demand remains low and continues to fall," he said.

He said a staff consultation would need to take place before a closure was decided and action would not happen "immediately".

The Local Democracy Reporting Service said the council would consider alternative options for the creche that were "realistic about both demand and financial sustainability".

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