Free swimming in Wirral gets Green light

Sep 1 2010 by Liam Murphy, Birkenhead News

WIRRAL Council is to continue to provide free swimming for pensioners and young people after the ruling cabinet approved the plans last week.

At the meeting in Wallasey Town Hall, the council decided to continue with the scheme, which allows all those aged 60 years and over to swim for free all year round, and free swimming for young people during school holidays.

Council leader Jeff Green said it was “the right decision”.

But Labour leader Steve Foulkes insisted the ruling cabinet had been preparing to end the scheme until a Labour-led campaign forced them to make a U-turn.

Labour had introduced the scheme when they were in power, but feared when the Government removed the grant it would end as it costs the council £180,000 a year. However, cabinet member for leisure David Elderton said they “had not been unduly influenced” by the Labour petition and made the decision based on “demographics and the needs of disadvantaged groups”.