Staff shortages are disrupting the opening hours of Council run sports centres across the borough, particularly Pools on the Park.

The Council is finding it particularly difficult to find trained lifeguards with the resulting shortage causing some closures of the outdoor pool at the centre.

It has been attempting to recruit new lifeguards, providing additional training for existing staff as well as offering free National Pool Lifeguard Qualifications (NPLQ) to residents and swim clubs on the condition of future work with the Council.

The Council operates seven centres across the borough serving just under 2,000 members, together with thousands of other casual visitors.

It said: " The Council's Sport and Leisure team has experienced significant difficulty in recruitment to key posts, including those of lifeguards, following the re-opening of facilities post-COVID-19.

"This unfortunately means that the Council is unable to offer the full range of services it would want to for residents while these staffing difficulties are being resolved.

"The safety of pool users is of paramount importance and the Council's Sport and Leisure team is working to deliver a timetable across the pools to ensure minimal disruption to regular users."

It added: "We are especially aware that this is impacting upon users of Pools on the Park in Richmond.

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"There are understandably a number of demands for pool time and there is therefore a need to prioritise pools sessions. One such example is junior and school swim lessons to meet curriculum requirements, where these lessons take place in the indoor pool and has resulted in the closure of the outdoor pool at certain times due to unavailability of lifeguards.

"Staffing issues of this nature are also being experienced across the wider leisure sector. There is a national shortage of qualified lifeguards as a result of restrictions on new lifeguards being trained during the pandemic, in addition to existing lifeguards leaving the profession.

"We very much appreciate the understanding and patience of our residents and pool users while we respond to these particular staffing shortages. We encourage anyone interested in a full or part time role in Sports and Leisure team to check out our current vacancies."

These include lifeguards and leisure assistants at Teddington Pools on a casual basis paying £11.05 per hour and a full-time position at Pools on the Park paying £20,742.