Free swimming for children after council U-turn (From Daily Echo)
When news happens, text SDE and your photos or videos to 80360. Or contact us by email and phone.
Free swimming for children after council U-turn
6:30am Monday 9th February 2009 in
-
- By Matt Smith » Politics and business reporter
THOUSANDS of children are to get free swimming in Southampton after council chiefs struck a deal with health chiefs and schools.
Tory city bosses claimed the Government was not providing enough cash to introduce the scheme.
They threatened to scrap existing free sessions for under-12s at three city pools to help to save £160,000.
Now schools and the city’s health bosses have agreed to help the council meet the estimated £400,000 cost of bringing in the under-16s initiative from April.
Julia Passingham, from the Hampshire Amateur Swimming Association, said: “It’s great news. It’s a welcome turnaround. It’s important kids get the opportunity not just to learn to swim but to go into the pool and have fun and get water confidence.
“Swimming is probably at the bottom of the list of parents’ priorities at the moment, so this free facility will be absolutely fantastic.”
Council chiefs said the funding deal, struck with schools and Southampton City Primary Care Trust, would last two years.
Comments(8)
Iw61
says...
7:04am Mon 9 Feb 09
10 Minute Man
says...
8:39am Mon 9 Feb 09
I think this is a good idea, as long as the swimming sessions are not soley focused around lobbing inflatables around the pool rather than doing some actual swimming.
itsmehere
says...
9:09am Mon 9 Feb 09
dsm
says...
10:16am Mon 9 Feb 09
No wonder local economies are screwed up.
10 Minute Man
says...
12:16pm Mon 9 Feb 09
Beer Monster
says...
12:31pm Mon 9 Feb 09
dsm wrote:It was scrapped for the under 12s, now it's being re-established for under 16s, hence the additional cost.
When it was scrapped it was in order to save £160,000, now it has been reinstated it will cost £400,000. No wonder local economies are screwed up.
Good thing in my books - our council tax goes towards many more ludicrous things.
Miles Sway
says...
1:10pm Mon 9 Feb 09
allotment-grower
says...
4:22pm Mon 9 Feb 09
More Southampton stories
- 'I'd rather tell mum I had implant than tell her I was pregnant'
- Raw sewage forces family to flee home
- Solar panels to save council £360,000
- Benefits cheat spent £3,700 in swindled cash on drink
- Prince backs jobs bid
- £135,000 uni grant
- Tory wind farm revolt
- Drugs raid arrests
- New head chef at Botley Park Hotel
- Burglar spared jail sentence
Councillors John Hannides and Jeremy Moulton mark the deal which means free swimming for Southampton children
Most popular
Local Information
Enter your postcode, town or place name
Comment now! Register or sign in below.
Log in with us
Fields marked with * are mandatory.
Or
Log in with