The operator of the Putney Leisure Centre, Places Leisure, has claimed the previous Labour administration at Wandsworth Council approved its plans to permanently shorten Putney’s pool when it was awarded a new contract last year.
That claim appears to contradict what Putney’s MP has said about the shock news: that she attended a formal briefing on the changes and was told the pool would stay the same.
Wandsworth Council has refused for seven months to release the decision papers that would show what Cabinet was actually told before it voted to award the contract.
As we reported yesterday, residents received an email on Tuesday announcing the 33-metre pool would be permanently cut to 25 metres. Faced with an outcry, the council ordered a pause the same evening. Places Leisure area manager Dave Jolliffe has confirmed the pause but in a letter to one resident argued that the pool reconfiguration “was presented at tender stage in 2025 and accepted by Wandsworth Council when we were awarded the contract.”
Putney MP Fleur Anderson meanwhile told a constituent: “I went to a presentation about the changes to the whole Leisure Centre many months ago and was told the pool would remain the same. I didn’t know about the reduction in length and agree there should have been a consultation if a reduction is planned.” She has written to Places Leisure.
The council has refused to release the papers that would answer this
Putney.news requested the contract decision-making papers back in November 2025. In February 2026 the council confirmed it holds officer reports and Cabinet briefings for the contract but refused to release them, citing commercial interests. The same response confirmed that Cabinet had not been told about tenant disputes, legal obligations, or café plans before approving the contract. Risk assessments for the £24m deal were recorded as “N/A.”
We filed a formal challenge in March; the council extended its deadline to May with no explanation, then let that deadline pass without responding. The challenge is now seven weeks overdue.
Places Leisure manager Jolliffe also claims a pre-tender feasibility study with resident consultation was held before the contract was awarded. We have been unable to find any public record of this meeting.
The pool closure is still scheduled for 1 July. Places Leisure says it is meeting the council this week.
Did you take part in a consultation?
Places Leisure says a feasibility study with resident consultation was held before the 2025 contract. We have been unable to find a record of this. If you were involved (as a participant, organiser, or if you received any communication about it), please contact us.
Great article, Kieren. It’s clear you’ve been onto this for some time and sensed something was wrong long before the pool row that broke this week. The lack of transparency on this is astounding and can only lead one to think that something underhand and fishy has been going on. This merits further investigation. Please keep up the good work.
In the meantime we continue to collect signatures on our petition. Residents ive spoken to our pleased with the temporary’pause’ of the crazy pool shortening decision but we still think it could come back to bite us. https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/save-putney-s-33-metre-pool