It’s a case of from famine to feast for lifeguard provision across local leisure centres.
For three months after decrying a shortage across all facilities, a recruitment drive has seen more than 100 successful candidates identified for various roles.
Details were revealed in a report to ABC Council’s community and wellbeing committee meeting in March.
It was the same committee sitting pre-Christmas which had flagged considerable “pressures” in terms of lifeguard numbers.
The main area of concern was at South Lake Leisure Centre, where there were 26 vacancies. This was 44 per cent of the overall team allocation for the Craigavon venue.
It was a similar story at Banbridge Leisure Centre, where there was a 24 per cent shortfall – four lifeguard vacancies in real terms.
The committee was informed in December that officers would “not compromise on operating the services without the required provision”. This meant that there had been “minor service disruption” to the pool service during the previous two months.
Committee was told at the time that officers would be working with their HR department to address issues.
It seems to have been an effort which has paid dividends.
Fast forward from December’s doom and gloom scenario and the local authority is now prepared to ’March’ forward with confidence!
A report to committee indicates that a recruitment campaign was indeed carried out in January for ‘leisure attendants’.
And officers were “pleased” to announce that “a number of candidates have successfully completed and passed both their swim test and interview”.
In a welcome update, the committee has now been briefed thus: “There have been over 100 successful candidates with just under half already holding the desired lifeguard qualification.
“HR Officers are offering available contracts to successful candidates and hope to have them in post as soon as possible.”
Furthermore, it would appear the council’s cup runneth over in the recruitment stakes.
For the report further informs: “A casual bank of employees will also be created from those not offered contracts.”
Now better placed to deliver the desired contingent, committee was told: “Officers are expecting the increased workforce to create a more robust operation, reducing potential closures and service disruptions and to improve cleanliness and service within the centres.”
After previous cancellations, a successful recruitment exercise for fitness class instructors also took place in January.
“We are expecting to have several contractual and casual positions appointed and in centres shortly,” councillors were appraised. “Working with the Learning and Development team, officers are scoping running an in-house training programme for fitness instructors and class instructors.
“This would be similar to the aqua aerobics course we ran in November 2025, bolstering the number of coaches we have available in that discipline.”
