12 March 2023 , 13:46
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Rishi Sunak has splashed out tens of thousands of pounds to boost the electricity supply to his private heated swimming pool - while hundreds of leisure centres close or cut hours.
New specialist equipment had to be installed around the multimillionaire PM's mansion in North Yorkshire to accommodate his new pool and gym.
It comes after MPs heard an estimated 350 public swimming pools have been forced to shut or reduce opening hours because of soaring energy bills.
The new features have been installed at the luxury Grade-II listed Georgian manor, which Mr Sunak and wife Akshata Murthy purchased for £1.5million before he became an MP in 2015.
A new connection to the National Grid now runs across open fields, it is believed.
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Millionaire Mr Sunak has had a new heated pool and gym installed at his mansion (Liam McBurney/AP/REX/Shutterstock)No10 declined to comment following a report in The Guardian claiming the PM had paid tens of thousands of pounds for engineers to install new equipment.
This week MPs heard that soaring energy costs have had a devastating impact on pools across the UK.
Embarrassingly this includes one from bosses at Tadcaster Swimming Pool Trust, just miles from the PM's mansion.
Manager Chris Porter told The York Press: “It’s already an extremely challenging situation for all leisure trusts, but the strain will become incredible if the Government does not rethink and continue to provide support.
“At Tadcaster alone, our electricity costs have gone up by £7,500 per month."
He said this amounts to a 200% rise in utility costs, and he said health and wellbeing will suffer if pools close.
Conservative MP Damian Green has called for more support for swimming pools (PA)The government faces calls to announce extra support in Jeremy Hunt's budget.
A Labour source told The Mirror: "It’s a slap in the face to millions of hard working families that the energy crisis doesn't apply in this case, when it applies in so many others."
The cross-party Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee has written to Energy Secretary Grant Shapps urging him to act.
Committee chairman Damian Green said: “While a scheme explicitly designed to give a helping hand to energy intensive businesses exists, swimming pools and other leisure facilities have been excluded.
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"Ahead of next week’s Budget, now is the time for the Government to acknowledge the particular needs of swimming pools and to set out how they can receive the support they need to survive.
"Without financial help, many pools face the prospect of closure which will inevitably have a bad impact on the health and wellbeing of the nation.”
In a Commons debate on Thursday he said: "I know from a previous answer that Ministers share my concern that high energy costs have led to the closure or reduction in hours in around 350 public swimmingpools.
"Will Ministers join me in urging their Cabinet colleagues to give public pools the support that is available to other sectors to enable them to continue playing their essential role in keeping people healthy?"
Minister Stuart Andrew responded: "I repeat that I am completely aware of the situation faced by many pools and leisure centres.
"The multiple questions that I have had on that today certainly help my case in my discussions with colleagues across Government."