Weymouth and Portland may swim for free after all (From Dorset Echo)

Weymouth and Portland may swim for free after all

8:32am Thursday 9th April 2009 in Campaigns By Dan Goater

WEYMOUTH and Portland Borough Council could backtrack over offering free swimming sessions for some residents.

The council had ruled out offering free swimming for pensioners and children as part of a new Government initiative.

But, at a management committee meeting, councillors voted in favour of reconsidering the scheme, provided the Government would still agree to fund it.

The move came after the council received a 1,000- signature petition from Age Concern trustee and volunteer Norah Riley-Smith who launched a Swim for Free campaign with the Dorset Echo.

Norah welcomed the council’s decision to take another look at the free swimming proposals – and urged them to give the scheme the green light.

She said: “It is wonderful news. The petition count is up to around 2,500 signatures and I hope that the council now gets this through.”

After the management meeting, South Dorset MP Jim Knight said the council has until the end of the month to make an application to the Government for funding.

During the meeting, however, councillors expressed concerns for the future of the Osprey Leisure Centre, Portland, if the scheme were to now get the go-ahead.

Coun Peter Chapman warned that if the centre were to lose too many visitors to the pool, in Knightsdale Road, that it could leave the whole facility in danger of going ‘out of business’.

Coun Brendan Webster said he was concerned about the long-term availability of Government funding for the scheme.

He said: “Clearly, there’s still money available to do good things but we’ve been hamstrung by a bad offer.

“I have to say this is a repeated pattern from the Government – to be invited to buy a ‘pig in a poke’.

“We won’t be told how the cash in pots two, three and four will run until we agree to take pot one.”

Members voted in favour of reconsidering running the scheme – meaning the proposal will have to go before the management committee again – if the Government will still fund it.

Following the meeting, Mr Knight said: “After initially voting to deprive older and younger people from free swimming, it is good news that the council has listened to our campaign and is finally reconsidering its decision.

“Both pensioners and young people would benefit greatly from free swimming and such a scheme would also really help on families’ hard-pressed finances.

“Other councils around Dorset are already offering the scheme.

“While it is now past the initial deadline to apply for funding, I have been given a positive indication by central government that funding would be there for Weymouth and Portland providing the council wants it and as long as free swimming is offered to both older people and under-16s.

“Councillors now need to make a quick decision on whether to take up the offer.

“If they delay, Weymouth and Portland will miss the boat on funding and older people and under-16s will definitely be deprived of what many people elsewhere in the country are hailing as a fantastic scheme.”