PENSIONERS will have to pay to swim in city pools from September as Oxford City Council prepares to cut its £113,000-a-year free swimming programme.

Under the plan, some free swimming will still be offered to children but will be limited to set sessions each day.

But the concession will not be offered to children who live outside the city boundary.

The revised scheme, due to be ratified next week, was proposed following the Government’s decision to axe its subsidy for free swimming as part of £6bn of cuts.

Council leisure officers investigated several options for a reduced programme – including charging both groups 50p per swim – before backing plans to charge over-60s £2.10.

Pensioner Kathleen Dean, who enjoyed free swimming at Peers Leisure Centre before it closed, said: “It’s a shame.

“Older people enjoy swimming, it’s good exercise for them and allows them to keep fit.

Mrs Dean, of Corunna Crescent, Cowley, added: “More people have gone swimming because it’s free and when they introduce charging again I don’t think some will be able to afford to go as often.”

Free swimming, in all pools at all times, has been offered to under-17s since 2006 and the scheme was extended to the over-60s last year.

The programme cost £113,000 per year, but £100,000 of that came from the Government subsidy.

Last year, 43,700 free swims were taken by under-17s and 30,842 by over-60s. Under the revised plans, over-60s would pay a concessionary rate of £2.10 to swim, rising to £3.10 at Hinksey outdoor pool.

Free swimming would be offered to under-17s for a total of 30 hours per week at four of the city’s pools, with free sessions running after school and at weekends.

No decision has been made yet on the allocation of free swimming time, but there could be four hours at Blackbird Leys Pool, nine-and-a-half at Barton, seven hours at Temple Cowley and nine-and-a-half at Ferry Sports Centre.

This reduced scheme would cost the council an additional £18,600 this year, which was not budgeted.

Council leader Bob Price said the changes had been prompted by the loss of the Government grant.

He said under-17s had less money than pensioners and had benefited most from free access, a scheme the council introduced before the government subsidy was available.

He said: “If young parents have two or three children and take them swimming on a regular basis it could be very expensive.

“If you can establish good exercise habits early in life, they are likely to be retained.”

He added free swimming for over-60s had not generated a significant number of new participants.

The council’s executive will vote on the revised scheme on Wednesday.

cburatta@oxfordmail.co.uk

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