A SWIMMING instructor has found himself in deep water with bosses after voicing safety fears about a Times Territory swimming pool to the WHT.

Gary Strachan, who spoke to reporters last week, was hauled in front of bosses at work on Wednesday and suspended while investigations of “gross misconduct” are carried out.

Mr Strachan, 53, called this newspaper after being told plans to slash swimming instructors and lifeguard jobs at Hatfield Swim Centre would lead to Platypus Club for the Handicapped losing its exclusive access to the pool on Sunday mornings.

The swim instructor said he and colleagues were told they would have to re-apply for their jobs in a move to “improve quality and efficiency of services.”

Mr Strachan, from Corners, WGC, said: “I’m utterly amazed at this decision.

“I face possibly losing my redundancy pay now and all because I thought the public and staff are getting a raw deal with the cuts they are planning. It’s so petty.

“All the parents know me at that pool because I’ve been teaching their kids for seven years.

“The question that they will be asking is where is Gary?

“I will be speaking to my solicitor and getting more advice about this as I don’t think I have done anything wrong.”

Speaking to the WHT last week, Stuart Trower, director of operations of Finesse Leisure, who operate the Swim Centre, told the WHT that Finesse would be reviewing and potentially reorganising several teams as part of a 10-day consultation plan.

He commented: “This is a personnel issue and I’m afraid it is confidential, subject to our procedures.”