CHANGES of public access to Newent Leisure Centre will be implemented from Monday, September 1, in an effort to prioritise the safety of pupils.

Access will be 3.30pm to 9.30pm, Monday to Friday, aligning with the end of the school day. The change follows ongoing safeguarding concerns that have been under review for some time, in light of national guidance such as Martyn’s Law, which places greater emphasis on the need to protect public spaces and ensure robust security measures.

Weekend access will remain unchanged, and curriculum swimming lessons for primary schools will continue as normal.

As access to the leisure centre requires walking through the school site, the current arrangement allowing public access between 8.30am and 3.30pm is no longer considered suitable. The decision has been made jointly by Newent Community School, Forest of Dean District Council, and Freedom Leisure, who manage and operate the site in partnership.

Councillor Jackie Dale, Cabinet Member for Thriving Communities, said: “The safety and wellbeing of children must always come first. This site presents a unique challenge, and addressing safeguarding concerns has been a shared priority for some time.

“While changes to access are now being implemented, our focus remains on supporting community use during evenings and weekends.”

Rhys Philipps, Newent Community School’s Principal, said: "The safeguarding of our students is a responsibility we take extremely seriously. This change has been made with their safety and wellbeing as the guiding priority. We are proud to have worked closely with Forest of Dean District Council and Freedom Leisure in a genuinely collaborative spirit to find a solution that balances pupil safeguarding with continued community access.

"We remain committed to ensuring the leisure centre remains a valuable asset for the local community, supported by strong, ongoing partnership working.”

The updated timetable can be found online.