Central Otago District Council (CODC) are reviewing pool procedures after two children were locked in the Alexandra Pool after hours this weekend.
The children, aged 13 and 10, were left in the changing room on Saturday night after staff had exited the building and closed the facility for the evening.
CODC group manager — community experience David Scoones said staff would normally follow ‘‘well-established practice and check the changing rooms – It should never have happened, and we will be taking steps to help ensure this doesn’t happen again. –
before leaving’’.
However, the staff members, who were ‘‘well experienced’’ and had closed the facility many times before, failed to do a final check.
By the time staff were alerted to the situation, the children had left the building through a selfreleasing door.
Staff later checked the building to make sure all was in order.
Mr Scoones said the council was taking the matter very seriously.
‘‘We sincerely apologise to the children, the parents and the community for this lapse.
‘‘It should never have happened, and we will be taking steps to help ensure this doesn’t happen again.’’
CODC are undertaking a full review and will be holding a mandatory staff meeting to discuss the importance of closing procedures.
Safety was paramount in the pool environment, Mr Scoones said.
