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North youngsters to miss out on free swimming

Mar 15 2009 by Robert Weatherall, Sunday Sun

TENS OF thousands of people in the region are set to miss out on free swimming sessions because their council has failed to take advantage of a new scheme.

A Sunday Sun investigation revealed the failure of some councils to grasp the new Government initiative.

But the many that have will allow thousands of North youngsters and pensioners to take the plunge and improve their fitness.

The initiative, launched next month, will allow anyone under 16 or over 60 to access council swimming pools free of charge.

It is designed to help tackle the growing health crisis with increasing numbers of youngsters becoming clinically obese.

The Government has made £140m available to councils over the next two years for the plan.

It’s hoped it will encourage up to two million people to take more exercise by 2012.

Councils were invited to apply for a share of the money to help cover the costs of free access.

But many have complained that the gap between the cash available to them and the amount offered by Government is too big and will leave them out of pocket, so will continue charging.

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