Free swimming for kids in doubt

5:40pm Friday 5th September 2008

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Free swimming sessions for children could be snubbed over fears they may cost too much.

A £140 million package has been put together by the Government to encourage local authorities to offer free swimming sessions for under-16s and over-60s.

However, councils fear it will be expensive in the same way as the controversial free bus travel scheme for the over-60s.

The proposals are still being considered but it already appears unlikely Adur and Worthing will be involved.

John Thorpe, executive head of leisure and cultural services for Adur and Worthing, said discussions had been held with cabinet members.

He said: “For a number of reasons the cabinets are unlikely to wish to support the Government’s free swimming initiative.

“The main reasons for this are that the compensatory grant for offering free swimming to under-16s is as yet unquantified, that the cost of offering free swimming to over-60s in Adur and Worthing is likely to be the same or greater than the grant offered, and that Government funding beyond the next two years is not guaranteed.”

The decisions will be finalised at both council’s cabinet meetings.

Brighton and Hove City Council said it “welcomed the national initiative” and that officers were evaluating the criteria for the over-60s scheme. However, it added full information for the under-16 scheme was not yet available.

Hastings Borough Council has been told it will be given £27,682 a year if it offers over-60s free swimming but the council currently takes in £28,000 a year from that age group.

It fears it will lead to increased usage and overcrowding at peak times, increased costs for pool treatments and staffing, and a worse experience for visitors.

Costs are even higher for children and because the funding is only for two years, councils fear they will be stuck thereafter with free swimming sessions and no income from the Government.

Papers to be considered by the council’s cabinet on Monday say: “There is a general concern that the funds available may not meet the costs and that the boroughs will have to meet any shortfall in funding, as with the free bus pass scheme.”

In Lewes, which has a high number of older residents, the Wave Leisure Trust is responsible for running the town’s leisure facilities on behalf of the council.

The trust’s managing director Peter Crowley said it had been offered funding of just more than £38,000 for the over-60s free swim initiative.

He said: “That equates to one hour’s free swim a year per senior citizen, so it doesn’t go anywhere at all.”

How much money councils will receive for their under-16s free swims has yet to be decided by the Government but Mr Crowley said he feared it would also be “limited”.

Are councils right to be concerned over cash or should they offer the sessions for free? Tell us your view below.