Josh Babarinde MP: Fighting for the future of the Sovereign Centre

Watch more of our videos on ShotsTV.com 
and on Freeview 262 or Freely 565
Visit Shots! now
Across the UK, over 250 swimming pools have closed in the last decade, largely due to rising costs and government underfunding. As someone who learned to swim at the Sovereign Centre, I’m deeply committed to ensuring its future. I have raised this issue in the House of Commons more than any other local matter and have taken multiple steps to try to find solutions to safeguard the Sovereign Centre for both immediate and long-term needs.

Immediate Action to Save the Pools:

The threatened closure of the Fun Pool and Training Pool require urgent solutions. To address this, I have:

  • Secured the continuation of the £20 million Towns Fund and urged the Chancellor, Rachel Reeves, to release the funds NOW for the potential use on the Sovereign Centre if the board approves.
  • Pressured Eastbourne Borough Council (EBC) to explore alternative funding sources, such as the Community Infrastructure Levy (a community pot of money that developers pay into when they build houses locally).
  • Urged Eastbourne Borough Council, via a public letter, to explore alternative operators to manage the Centre, and have appealed to Government Ministers to actively encourage the Council to explore all viable alternatives.
  • Engaged with potential alternative operators and partner organisations, escalating their proposals to EBC leadership.
Fighting for more support in ParliamentFighting for more support in Parliament
Fighting for more support in Parliament

Long-Term Solutions for Sustainability:

Given the Sovereign Centre’s age—48 years, well past the typical 38-year lifespan of a pool—planning for its future is essential. My efforts so far have included:

Hide Ad
Hide Ad
  • Challenging Ministers in the House of Commons to expand the £20 million Towns Fund scope to cover swimming facilities.
  • Meeting with Minister for Health Stephen Kinnock MP, last week, to ask for health and leisure facilities to be included in the Towns Fund spending criteria.
  • Meeting with Swim England, who pledged to advocate for government funding for swimming pools nationally, and with UKActive, who agreed to connect me with potential investors. I hope to soon bring these stakeholders together to host an Eastbourne Swimming Roundtable.

Additionally, I’ve stressed the need for clear, transparent communication from Eastbourne Borough Council surrounding the Centre’s future. I’ll continue to provide updates and fight for the Sovereign Centre, working alongside the many others advocating for this vital community facility.

The Sovereign Centre is part of our town’s fabric, and I’m determined to continue the fight to save it.

Follow us
©National World Publishing Ltd. All rights reserved.Cookie SettingsTerms and ConditionsPrivacy notice