Free swimming plans

PLANS to provide the over sixties with free swimming in Dorset could end up being "a postcode lottery," a councillor warned.

At a meeting by Dorset County Council's cabinet, councillors provisionally agreed to the free swimming plan, pending decisions made by other borough and district councils in Dorset.

Under the new scheme proposed by the Government, Dorset would be provided with £174,022 from 2009 to 2011 to enable free swimming for people aged over 60.

Initially there would be two pots of money, one for the over sixties swimmers and then the second for phase two, which will offer free swimming to children aged under 16.

Cabinet members were warned that there could be a possible shortfall of £93,866 throughout Dorset over the next two years.

The county council's head of cultural services Paul Leivers said that Weymouth and Portland Borough Council had already decided that it was not going ahead with the scheme because of these financial implications.

Dorset County Council leader Angus Campbell said that before a final decision can be made they need to find out which councils in Dorset are interested in the scheme and how much they are willing to contribute should a shortfall occur.

Chief executive David Jenkins told the cabinet that the Dorset Primary Care Trust had already pledged its support and offered to supply £50,000 in the event of the scheme losing money.

Coun Campbell concluded that the county council will provide match funding of £50,000 if they go ahead with the scheme.

Councillor Toni Coombs expressed her concerns that by offering free swimming to children, it could stop parents paying for swimming lessons and taking custom away from the leisure centres.

She added: "There is a number of leisure centres listed for the scheme and we know Weymouth have pulled out so what we will end up with is a post code lottery of free swimming that is not fair to the people of Dorset."

West Dorset District Council is due to discuss the programme at its executive committee on September 9.

The county council, the district councils and borough councils in Dorset must make their decision and tell the government by September 15.

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