RISHI MAN, POOR MAN

TORY HOPEFUL'S PRIVATE POOL AS LOCAL BATHS FACING CLOSURE

- KELLY JENKINS

•  Energy price rise means 400% hike in annual pool costs
• Experts predict up to 79% of public baths could close

WHILE rich Rishi Sunak hopes to take the plunge as our new Prime Minister, we can reveal today things are not going swimmingly for his poor constituents.

In fact, it’s a case of him swimming and them sinking.

Because they are on the brink of losing their popular public baths which look set to close because of rocketing energy bills.

And meanwhile, their MP is splashing out thousands on a new private pool in the grounds of his £1.5million mansion – with the multimillionaire facing no difficulty paying running costs of about £13,000 a year.

The troubled waters in Richmond, North Yorkshire, emerge as latest figures show an incredible 79% of community swimming pools around the country face closure in the economic crisis.

The vital leisure facility at the heart of Mr Sunak’s constituency serves 2,000 people a week, running as a charitable venture. He has even proudly visited the pool, which has been serving the town since 1976.

HORRENDOUS

Around 700 children a week go there to learn to swim, either in after clubs or part of school lessons.

But now it faces a FOUR HUNDRED PER CENT hike in bills, taking gas and electricity costs from £63,600 to £315,000 per year - with no prospect of any government help.

Only household consumers are protected by Ofgem’s energy price cap to keep tariffs down – community leisure facilities and schools face the same surging bills as businesses.