Councillors have voted against scrapping free deckchair passes for over 60s after a backlash from locals.

Weymouth and Portland Borough Council’s policy development committee voted to keep the 30-year-old policy in place for residents over 60 using Weymouth beach, after a public consultation showed a high level of support for it.

However, the policy development committee does not have the final say on whether the deckchair passes will be retained.

This will be decided by the council’s management committee on Tuesday, August 15.

Plans have been made by the council to get rid of the free deckchair passes for older residents, which could save the council between £5,000 and £7,000 per year.

It would mean Weymouth and Portland residents over 60 would have to pay the going rate of £2.20 to hire a chair for the day. 

But a report by the council said that “the scheme is highly valued by residents and they are keen for it to be retained” and recommended that the policy, which also includes half price windbreaks for locals over 60, should be continued.

Around 370 people responded to the council’s online consultation, which found that 81% of respondents felt the council should keep the decade’s old tradition, with 79% of respondents aged 55 and over.

As a result, the council’s policy development committee unanimously supported retaining the passes at a meeting on Monday.

Councillor Mark Tewkesbury was highly supportive of the report's recommendation. 

He said: “I think we have come to our senses on this one. I was very strongly against it when this first came out.”

Councillor Penny McCartney said the council cannot “morally justify” scrapping the scheme to save money when some councillors’ allowances are receiving an increase.

She added: “For me, if anyone over 60 can enjoy a free deckchair, please let them enjoy it.”

It was thought that the money saved from ending the passes could go towards supporting free swimming for disabled people at Weymouth Swimming Pool, but council officer Nick Thornley said at the meeting that the free swimming policy could still be kept.

Councillor Paul Kimber said: “I am pleased that we are still going to carry on giving free swimming to disabled people.”

Whilst supporting the continuation of the scheme, Councillor Ryan Hope voiced concerns about how the deckchair passes scheme is monitored.

He said: “There needs to be clear administration as to who holds the passes and what this costs us. But we should by no means be taking it away from them.”

Mr Thornley said there were some things that “we can do a bit smarter” with the scheme, though the council does know that 4,250 passes are in circulation.

The council officer added that the policy could be raised again with residents in five years time or possibly sooner.