Swim for free from today - but not in Weymouth and Portland (From Dorset Echo)
When news happens get involved. Send your pictures, views and video to us by text and email
Swim for free from today - but not in Weymouth and Portland
10:00am Wednesday 1st April 2009 in Campaigns By Harry Hogger
SWIM CAMPAIGNER: Norah Riley-Smith of Age Concern. ‘I really urge our council to think again,’ she says
YOUNGSTERS and pensioners across the country will be making a splash for free today but those in Weymouth and Portland remain high and dry.
Hundreds of local councils are celebrating the launch of free swimming schemes at public pools.
But over-60s and under-16s in Weymouth and Portland will have to fork out for a swim after the borough council decided not to introduce the initiative.
The Government has injected £140million for free swimming schemes nationwide, with 288 – around 80 per cent – of local councils offering free access to local authority owned pools for over-60s and 207 extending the offer to under-16s.
A total of 1,000 pools across England will be offering free swimming to 20 million people.
District councils in North Dorset, West Dorset and Purbeck are all offering the scheme to both pensioners and children.
Weymouth and Portland Borough Council’s management scheme declined the opportunity to take up free swimming when it came before them last year.
Members claimed it could have a negative effect on the privately owned Osprey Leisure Centre on Portland and feared the council could end up footing the bill after the two years of guaranteed Government funding elapsed.
The Dorset Echo and Age Concern have launched a petition to try and urge the council to reconsider, which has so far attracted around 1,300 signatures.
Age Concern trustee and volunteer Norah Riley-Smith is due to officially present the petition to the council’s Conservative leader Councillor Mike Goodman tomorrow.
Mrs Riley-Smith said the fact that people are now able to enjoy the benefits of free swimming in other districts only adds weight to the campaign.
She said: “Our campaign has been gaining momentum and I feel it is even stronger now, I really would urge the council to think again.
“They may argue that they won’t be able to fund it in two years’ time, but nobody knows what their budgets will be in two years’ time.
“They might as well do it for the two years so that it will benefit the people that are able to go.”
Comments(14)
Real Wyke-ite
says...
11:51am Wed 1 Apr 09
Since when have the Council been responsible for protecting a private business in preference to a public owned facility? Someone must have more than a passing interest in Osprey. The arguement that the money may run out after 2 years is weak, any Government funding should be snapped up. In this instance those getting a free swim may well continue to pay to swim later on if the money was stopped. No doubt next on the agenda will be a suggestion to demolish the pool and sell of the land to another private developer. (Reminds me of.......)
I Don't Like The New Echo Website
says...
12:07pm Wed 1 Apr 09
They have already changed the offer- the Western Daily Press reports that it is only for the over 60's.
If you want to swim, pay for it. I don't want to pay for you.
mikeman
says...
12:49pm Wed 1 Apr 09
Real Wyke-ite wrote:I could not agree more who cares about Osprey it is a private pool more to this councils shame, and as for paying for other people to swim we all are, as the money comes from central government so like it or not for the next two years at least, you are paying for people all over the country to swim with the exception of a few councils W.P.B.C being one of them. It is a disgrace & needs to be investigated as to why our council is prepared to protect private business at the expense of council tax payers, apart from anything else the money being spent at Osprey could be spent at our council pool increasing revenue there. THE WHOLE THING STINKS more little brown envelopes.
"Members claimed it could have a negative effect on the privately owned Osprey Leisure Centre on Portland" Since when have the Council been responsible for protecting a private business in preference to a public owned facility? Someone must have more than a passing interest in Osprey. The arguement that the money may run out after 2 years is weak, any Government funding should be snapped up. In this instance those getting a free swim may well continue to pay to swim later on if the money was stopped. No doubt next on the agenda will be a suggestion to demolish the pool and sell of the land to another private developer. (Reminds me of.......)
maximus
says...
12:59pm Wed 1 Apr 09
'It is a disgrace & needs to be investigated as to why our council is prepared to protect private business at the expense of council tax payers'
This sounds a bit like the 'Motorists to make way for Weymouth seafront square' where a councillor's cafe may be advantaged by the proposed work.
Ask Archie
says...
1:31pm Wed 1 Apr 09
mikeman
says...
3:24pm Wed 1 Apr 09
Ask Archie wrote:I understand what you are saying Archie & the last thing I would want to do is to put a further burden on the council tax payer & although I would benefit from the free swimming I was against it if it put a burden on the council tax payer. Two things changed my mind the first being that Osprey started complaining that it would affect them, a private pool with very limited access to the general public & as far as I am concerned they can sink or swim (if you will forgive the pun) as any other private concern has to. Just for the record the original plan for Osprey was that it would be for residents of the flats only so how long will it be before public access is limited even more. The second was the fact that as it is funded by central government for two years we are all effectively paying for people all over the country to swim. It should be possible to make it clear to everybody that it is only for a limited period i.e. two years & that after that time people will have to pay as things stand at the moment.
Central goverment moneyfor this scheme is only available for 2 years.After that imagine the outcry and stories in the OHEC when people are told they can no longer swim for free.Maybe we should give free swimming for 2 years but get them to sign an agreement that says "I will not complain when free swimming stops in 2 years because W&PBC can't afford to finance it.
I completely understand peoples reluctance after the bus pass fiasco & the fact that the situation regarding bus passes has yet to be resolved, but free swimming is an effort to make people healthier thus saving on health care so in my mind is a worthy scheme.
Finally I would like to say that ALL costs involved in either bus passes or swimming should be paid for by central government as they said they would when announcing the schemes.
Genghis
says...
6:37pm Wed 1 Apr 09
algy
says...
7:46pm Wed 1 Apr 09
weymouthfox
says...
12:09am Thu 2 Apr 09
mikeman
says...
7:25am Thu 2 Apr 09
weymouthfox wrote:It makes you wonder doesn't it, I think it might be time for an independent investigation into the goings on at W&P.B.C. There seems to be too many things going on like the esplanade development & supporting private companies(Osprey Swimming Pool) at the council tax payers expense.
"This sounds a bit like the 'Motorists to make way for Weymouth seafront square' where a councillor's cafe may be advantaged by the proposed work." Interesting thought this- is there a councillor behind the Osprey swimming pool too?
While they are at it we might as well have a full audit at the same time & then we can explain to the government why bus passes are costing the local council tax payer & why we have not got free swimming like most of the country.
free wessex
says...
6:29pm Thu 2 Apr 09
Cynically I expect the drink and crisp machine vendors are rubbing there hands with glee at the prospect of more trade.
Phaedrus
says...
6:39pm Thu 2 Apr 09
maximus
says...
11:00am Fri 3 Apr 09
maximus says...
10:30am Wed 1 Apr 09
If people really want to swim, they only need to go in an southerly direction from the Esplanade.