Pendle free swimming for kids scheme spared axe (From Lancashire Telegraph)

Pendle free swimming for kids scheme spared axe

3:10pm Saturday 24th July 2010

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FREE swimming for youngsters across Pendle has been given a stay of execution by councillors.

But the over-60s will have to pay by the middle of October.

Under the government’s free swimming scheme, councils were given financial help to encourage more under-16s and senior citizens to take the plunge.

But the new coalition in Whitehall announced the scheme was being scrapped as part of the emergency budget.

Pendle said it would be ending the initiative at Nelson, Colne and West Craven pools at the start of August.

But cabinet member Coun Tonia Barton told an executive meeting there had now been a revision to the original plans.

Around £31,000 has been found from the authority’s strategic budget reserve to fund free swimming for youngsters until the end of next March.

But Coun Barton said that the same provision for the over-60s would be withdrawn from October 9.

“There was actually a drop in the number of adults swimming during the period of free swimming,” she added.

Coun Barton said that the move would guarantee the scheme for under-16s until the end of the two-year programme drawn up by the previous government.

The existing initiative had encouraged a number of extra young swimmers to take up the activity, according to usage figures, she added.

Former council leader Coun John David said elected members had been told it would take around £85,000 to safeguard free swimming.

But he added: “I am glad that the executive has finally seen sense.”

Protests were launched by Liberal Democrats outside Nelson Town Hall in response to the first planned cuts.

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