Warwick and Leamington MP presses council for answers over 'paddling pool fiasco'

Warwick District Council’s pool in Victoria Park in Leamington was shut for repairs in 2024 and St Nicholas Park in Warwick was shut at the end of the 2024 season. Both were due to reopen in May 2025.

Problems with the upgrade meant the July reopening at Victoria Park was short-lived with the Warwick facility also mothballed until this year.

This year’s brighter weather arrived before a resolution, prompting concern from users of the pools, but the district finalised negotiations with the contractor to iron out the problems with the aim of reopening in the school summer holidays.

However as the latest heatwave continues, Matt Western, the MP for Warwick and Leamington said he has again pressed the council for answers over what he has dubbed the “paddling pool fiasco”.

Mr Western said he spoke to several families over the weekend at Victoria Park, who were “understandably so frustrated that a local amenity had been shut for so long, particularly in the recent hot weather.”

The MP says he has now written for the third time to Councillor Will Roberts who is the portfolio holder responsible at Warwick District Council.

In the letter, Matt Western argues that to have had a key community amenity inaccessible for two years is “simply not good” and “residents rightly expect better”.

He adds that “many young families rely on them as a free, local place for children to enjoy during the warm weather” and that the delay “falls well short of the urgency the situation demanded”.

The MP demanded that the council confirms a definite opening date and has called for them to be open for the start of the school summer holidays.

Commenting on his calls, Matt Western said: “When I spoke to young families at Victoria Park over the weekend, the overwhelming takeaway was how frustrated they are by the delays.

“Our parks are great, local amenities but to have a key part of them unusable the last two years is simply not good enough. Residents are not asking much to be able to use a local amenity during this hot weather.

“I hope we will get a definite opening date, and families can finally enjoy the paddling pools again.”

Speaking at a council meeting earlier this month, Cllr Will Roberts portfolio holder for neighbourhood, gave an update about the progress with the pools and said that the council was “still on course to have the first paddling pool open towards the end of month, with Victoria Park following very shortly afterwards.”

Responding to Matt Western’s latest comments about the pools, a spokesperson from Warwick District Council said: “Following a confidential briefing, Matt Western has received regular updates from Cllr Roberts over several months regarding the paddling pools.

“At the last council meeting Cllr Roberts confirmed in his update that the target for opening the pools was by the end of July, and we are pleased to confirm that this has not changed.

“There is even a chance that both pools might be opened earlier, and we hope to confirm this within the week.”