Swimming scheme in Northumberland sunk by shortfall

Posted by The Journal on Feb 11, 09 03:32 PM in Sport

Efforts to get Britain's children swimming are being ignored in Northumberland despite £50m of Government investment.

The cash was set aside to encourage local authorities to offer free swimming sessions to all under-16s in the run up to the 2012 London Olympics.

Swimmer

But out of 354 councils nationwide, 143, including Northumberland County Council, have not signed up to the scheme, claiming the funding is not enough to cover the cost.

There are also plans to offer free swimming to over-60s, with 292 councils set to do so.

In the North East, Northumberland is the only local authority to have rejected the plans for under-16s, although free swimming will be provided for the over 60s.

A spokeswoman for Northumberland County Council said: "In Northumberland it has been agreed that from April 1 there will be free swimming for the over 60s at all council funded facilities during public swimming sessions.

"Unfortunately it has not been possible to implement free swimming for under-16s because the grant from Government would not cover the costs.

"There would be a significant shortfall, in the region of £220,000, which would have to be met by the new Northumberland County Council.

"The current economic climate and the financial pressures facing local authorities, together with the level of funding being offered, mean that it is not possible to consider providing free swimming for under-16s at this time."

The Government's funding structure - which was based on numbers of residents, not numbers of pools - has been criticised by a number of councils across the country.

Funding was offered to some councils that did not have a pool, while councils that did sign up to the scheme last year said that central government was leaving them with a shortfall that would require them to cut other services.

But elsewhere, councils have embraced the plans and in Durham, town hall chiefs have bolstered the programme, extending the offer to those aged 18 and under.

A Department for Culture, Media and Sport, spokesman said: "We have always been clear that the £50m allocated by central Government for free swimming for young people was a substantial contribution to the costs but that this is a partnership with local authorities and they may have to find revenues from their own budgets or other sources to participate.

"It's great that so many councils have shown they share our commitment to get those 16 and under swimming by investing in the scheme - and some like Durham are going even further and, working with their local Primary Care Trust, extending free swimming to everyone aged 18 and under.

"Free swimming is one part of our plans to deliver a sporting legacy from London 2012.

"On top of that Sport England is allocating £480m of public money direct to 40 sports governing bodies, including the Amateur Swimming Association."

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