Issue - meetings

To consider a report regarding future funding of the Free Swimming scheme.

(Report attached)

The Council received an urgent report in respect of the premature withdrawal by the Department of Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) of the funding for the Free Swimming Initiative which had commenced in April 2009 and was due to be withdrawn in March 2011.

The DCMS had agreed to honour grant funding until 31st July. It was proposed that the free swimming programme in Redditch for the over sixties be ended with effect from the beginning of August and the programme for 16 year olds and under be continued until the end of August to allow this group free access over the busy summer holiday period. It was hoped that those new swimmers who had made use of the programme might be encouraged to make use of the Council’s Reddicard scheme, thereby allowing them to access the Council’s facilities at a competitive rate.

RESOLVED that

1)                 the removal of the grant funding from the Department for Culture Media and Sport, which equates to £46, 747 for the period August 1st 2010 to March 31st 2010 be noted;

2)                 the free swimming programme for over sixties be removed with effect from 1st August 2010 and a media and promotional campaign  be prepared to inform residents of this decision and the circumstances in which it was made;

3)                 the free swimming provision for 16 year olds and under be extended at the Council’s expense until 27th August 2010 (in line with the summer holiday programme), due to the high volume of under 16’s swimmers and families’ expectations during this period; 

4)                 the provision of free swimming admissions during public swimming sessions on a pay and play basis be limited to Redditch residents only;

5)                 the release of revenue balances to a maximum of £6,000 to fund the loss of income at the centres be approved; this to meet the costs associated with the Council continuing the scheme to 27th August following the removal of grant funding;

6)                 as part of the re-introduction of the charging scheme for these groups, it be confirmed that a non-Reddicard, Reddicard or Concessionary Reddicard rate will apply dependant upon customers’ personal circumstances (the proposed charging rates to be as detailed in Section 5 of this report); and

7)         the staffing implications outlined in Sections 5 and 14 of the report be noted and the funding of the associated redundancy costs of £3,000 from revenue balances be agreed, should a redeployment opportunity not be secured.