priced out of council amenities

[morningtoncrescent62]

I half-want to be told IABU, or at least have the flaws in my argument pointed out to me...

My council has recently hiked the cost of swimming in all its pools and phased out its most cost-effective season ticket-type options. I love swimming and I've been going regularly for years, but now it's going to become an occasional treat and a luxury because I can't justify the cost of regular sessions. AIBU to resent paying through my council tax for an amenity that's becoming accessible only to those who get free admittance (e.g. unemployed people and pensioners) and to those on high incomes and/or with lots of disposable cash who can afford the high prices? I'm on an above-average salary myself, and it seems wrong that those of us on low and middle incomes who are the majority of council tax-payers in my authority are being priced out of an amenity our council tax pays for.

When I catch myself thinking this I cringe a bit, as it sounds a bit Daily Mail-ish and entitled. And yes I know it's because of the cuts, and no I didn't vote Conservative. AIBU to mind? Should I just thank my lucky stars that we still have a local pool when so many others up and down the country have been closed?

A swim only membership at our local pool is £27.50 per month for an adult or £19.60 for concessions (both with £29.99 joining fee). There's a £10 family ticket (2 adults, 2 Dc or 1 adult, 3 Dc aged 5-14) so there must be an individual swim price but I can't fin it on their website. The membership does mean you can swim in all 3 of our council run pools though. I don't know if it included swimming lessons as they've never got back to me about any of my enquiries for the Dc.

After putting a link to this thread into the overweight kids thread the first response i got was how excersise for kids shouldnt be a timetabled slot in the day that costs money and how that shoulldnt be the only goal.

Well no one on this thread including me is saying anything of the sort. i fucking knew what that thread was really about though

Helena really, why bring that thread here? If you have an issue with that thread. Report it to MNHQ.

Anyway, if a council pool is free to those on benefits, why isn't it discounted for those on low income?

I don't really know how council pools work in regards to funding etc. Ours is that far away it was cheaper to go to the local one which was £3.50 for adults and £1 for children.

It's seems counter productive, to price people out of using council amenities. Especially if it's subsidised.

I think the point that mentions bit libraries and pools is highly relevant. both are likley to become a rarity - I think the cost of using the pool discourages those who have to pay the full price, therefore these people are seeking other alternatives which means that they will be less used and less profitable since those with reduced fees are likely to be the main one using the amenities. This will in turn lead to calls for further cuts as they are underused.

Things like this should be subsidised. We are an increasingly overweight/obese nation and to price people out of accessing exercise options is ridiculous.

And yes of course people can go running or what have you, but swimming is absolutely excellent for those who need low impact exercise.

Our local one was run down and then closed. I stopped going over 11 years ago because it was bloody filthy and i was frightened of catching something.

I think that's a fairly outrageous price. I'm in the US and we have a local YMCA. It gets no government subsidy. For those paying full price it costs less than 50 quid a month for a family membership, or 30 quid a month for one person. For that you get swimming, classes, 2 hours childcare per day, a gym, kids' swimming lessons and loads of other stuff.

£7.50 is too much
Have you looked at any private options nearby? My guess is that they are basing it on what can be obtained locally
Or they're going to price it so no one uses it, then close it and sell the land to a property developer.

It is a lot, if you swim even twice a week you'd be better at a private place.

£5.70 for an adult here. £2.95 for my son as over 4s have to pay. Grim 70s pool, but they must be doing something right as it's always packed. Usually with unsupervised teenagers.

My DS loves it so I treat us once a month. It's a pretty grim experience. And they've shut the cafe and replaced it with Costa and junk food filled vending machines.

It would be fairer to have a lower price for all instead of substituting other groups. I sound slightly daily mail but why should I pay more so those who have only slightly less then me (or maybe the same, I work but I'm a sp and not highly paid) go in free.

They'd make more money by having it cheaper for all which in turn would keep it open.

I work for a council, not leisure services, another one with an 'unprotected' budget and this is going to get much much worse. You are all absolutely right - to be promoting (funding) healthy children projects while taking these good services and out of reach to ordinary people is awful, stupid, enraging. My department's budget went down 40% last year and we did the redundancies/early retirements. Got told 3 weeks ago we have to lose another 20% this year and 17% next year. There is simply no way that we will be funding anything that isn't directly central government financed from now on and they are just not into swimming pools, footpaths, libraries or parks.

I bought monthly gym membership for £25 a month which includes use of swimming pool too. Even if I didnt use the gym, I use the pool at least three times a week so its good value.

Brand new - the subsidised elements often come from the protected budgets (adult care, children's services etc) so the leisure department don't always have a choice as to how they spread the costs.

Woolly, please could you share what you think councils will pay for?
I've just looked up the local swimming pool. It's part of a gym so looks like you have to call and get a day pass...so looked up nearest pool to that...looks like all borough pools are on this now. Found a special offer on a pay as you go site for £8. I have a feeling that might be as cheap as it gets and where I live is not posh.

I totally agree with lower price for all , this would encourage usage and increase revenue

"Why is this simple logic unfathomable for the government!!"

Yes, local government budgets are squeezed. But it's squarely a local issue and nothing to do with central government, but everything to do with the competence and priorities of your council.

Not all of them are hiking prices at the moment.

If you want a council with different priorities, you need to get active locally, campaign on specific issues, back the council candidates whose views are closer to yours (practical help is - usually - sorely needed) and consider standing as a councillor yourself.

This thread has made me curious, so I have just googles our local facilities.

At both pools they ONLY give details for "membership" packages, not individual sessions or classes. Mind you, an annual all-hours pass to all facilities including swimming, gym, sauna, some outdoor sports and exercise classes across all the facilities in the borough is £303 for an adult, which works out at just under £6 per week. Seems like good value?

Funny how Jamie Oliver is strangely silent on things like this. After all a healthy lifestyle is about more than ditching the cans of Lilt

Has that £303 got to be forked out for upfront before you start.? Because a hell of a lot of families wont be able to afford anywhere near that amount of money all at once.

Ours is unlimited access to 7 pools, 6 of those pools belong to schools, for £28 per month for an adult and £14 for a child.

Hi lorelei, that's a hard one to answer, they are all quite different and the one I work for is all rabbit-in-the-headlights. I don't think they have a coherent grip on the volume and extent of change they are facing. Bless them, the elected members I work with (all colours) are perfectly lovely, committed people but they are not equipped to deal with this. It's a mess.

I suppose they will keep upping the charges in an attempt to keep the lights on and the services will either survive without maintenance, be privatised or the land sold for flats (or handed over to academies).

For comparison, in a generally expensive city: £5:15 for adults (16+), £3:30 for 8-15s, pensioners and other qualifying concessions, £14:60 for family swim (up to 4 people, max 2 adults). Under 8s, registered disabled and those registered for swimming lessons all free. Prices lower if you're a leisure centre member.

six thats a really good deal

Woolly, thanks.
Med we've been working very hard on being active and campaigning. We're still losing libraries, the last tiny green space is going and the roads and pavements remain shocking.