Free swimming could hit tax
- Published: 28 August 2008 08:01
- Author: Dan Drillsma-Milgrom
- More by this Author
- Last Updated: 28 August 2008 09:04
Plans to introduce free swimming for the over 60s could force the average district council into significant council tax rises, leaders have told the government.
In a letter to culture secretary Andy Burnham las week, Alan Sherwell (Lib Dem), chair of the District Leaders' Sounding Board, insisted the plans would leave the "typical medium-sized district" with a deficit of £50,000, roughly equivalent to a 1.75% rise in the council tax.
"The deficit will be greater if the scheme succeeds (as it should) in increasing take up," the letter said.
"These sums are not trivial for individual councils following the last financial settlement."
Cllr Sherwell, the leader of Aylesbury Vale DC, also criticised the plans for ignoring county councils and health partners. He claimed districts "do not detect strong willingness amongst our health through swimming.
"There are currently significant barriers to be able to implement the initiative in the way we think the government intended," he wrote.
"The likely consequence will be reduced take up by district councils."
The Department for Culture, Media & Sport announced in June it was allocating £140m towards free swimming for the over 60s as part of the government's legacy action plan for the 2012 Olympic games.
While the plans stop short of a universal entitlement to free swimming for older people, any council seeking to take part in the fund will have to offer free swimming for all residents over 60. Councils say the loss in revenue will be greater than their receipts from the fund.
The DCMS said the increased take up of swimming services would bring opportunities for councils to boost revenues through other facilities in leisure centres.
A spokeswoman said: "While we want as many authorities as possible to make swimming free, no local authority will be forced to enter any element of the scheme. Our analysis suggests that the money will meet the large majority of the costs across England."
