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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

AIBU that 'free swimming' in my LA isn't actually free?

32 replies

daysoftheweek · 02/03/2010 13:28

That's it really I'm just mildly cross but not surprised.

I need to register my dc (and give away lots of personal information) to prove that my 5 year old is actually a child.

Once I have paid the associated fee I can swim for free!!

OP posts:

louloulouise · 02/03/2010 14:04

We just had to fill in a quick form (name, address etc, the usual) and pay £1.50 fee/for the swipe card - that was it. What kind of stuff are they after?

Minshu · 02/03/2010 14:09

Don't you need to prove residency, too? And this means that the consumer as well as non-swimming council tax payers are contributing to the scheme. Also it should encourage you to swim enough to make it worthwhile

StevieDunton · 02/03/2010 14:11

we didn't have to pay anything! but lots of form filling.

REALLY pisses me off that cards aren't transferable between authorities though - dead good pool near us but different council. raaaagghhh

sdr · 02/03/2010 14:51

Our LA only give free swimming to retired people. Apparently not enough money for anyone else. Personally I thought children should have priority - as aren't we all supposed to be encouraging them to get fit!

StiffUpperHip · 02/03/2010 18:28

sdr - are you in Scotland or Wales by any chance? In England, there's a 2 year scheme to allow over-60s and under-16s to swim for free. However the accompanying adult still has to pay, so it's not really free for under-8s who must be accompanied, or non-swimmers over that age. And we've had to register with the pool.

My dad in Scotland used to swim 3 times a week, because his LA (South Lanarks) do free for over-60s. But they've closed his local pool for 18 months or so. Next nearest pool is in another LA (Glasgow) who only do it free for resident over-60s, so now he's having to pay and only goes once a week.

CirrhosisByTheSea · 02/03/2010 19:26

I think it's very churlish to moan about any of it. It's a great initiative and something to be positive about!

pointydog · 02/03/2010 19:37

agree, churlish to moan.

Anyway, people value something much more if they have to pay for it.

pointydog · 02/03/2010 19:38

I mane, this is a perfect case. An ad says 'free swimming' and people pick it apart and make a fuss about the fact it's not actually really truly free.

shockers · 02/03/2010 19:59

It's only an initial £1.50... the subsequent sessions are free. I suspect the swipe card is to help them keep figures so that the government can see how much of a success it's been across the board.
There has been massive investment from the government in sport at grass roots level. It can only get better in the run up to the Olympics too

serinBrightside · 02/03/2010 20:19

StiffupperHip, actually I live in England and our LA does not offer free swimming to under 18's only the over 60's.

CirrhosisByTheSea · 02/03/2010 20:58

Under 18s have physical exercise/clubs free through school. Plus they have playgrounds and the ability to play in them - a 60 yr old is going to get reported if they go for a nice swing at the local park!

Retired people live on a small income, exercise is expensive so it's great they're being helped (and fit oldsters save us alot of money in NHS terms)

Come on guys, lets bin the whingy approach here!

sdr · 03/03/2010 12:54

It's more a case of nothing in our area being provided for teenagers. Agree their are the playgrounds for the younger ones, which for us are very good. But the older ones suffer. As for through school, my DD who is doing her GCSE's has one PE lesson a week, no clubs provided (they are supposed to be focussing on study). So it is up to the parents to provide and pay, which fortunately we can.

StewieGriffinsMom · 03/03/2010 12:58

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

Original poster

daysoftheweek · 03/03/2010 14:45

well I did say I was mildly cross not wanting the rant of the decade! )

ours wants name address DOB (enough for identity fraud) name address of parent e-mail phone number ethnicy and a variety of gym questions, disability info and what you do while child is swimming.

SO quite a bit really
I stress this is for a short 5 year old not a teenager even TFL admits it can recognise a 5 yr old as 5!

thing is if I ran a coffee shop and advertised free coffee but charged for membership and insisted everyone came with a friend who had to pay £5 each time I would think people would feel I was being overly liberal in my use of the word free!

Agree that were it actually what it says on the tin it would be great, why is it anymore churlish to point out that it is not than it is to point out that 48 hr GP access means that a lot of practices make you phone back if they have no appointments available?

agree with lack of stuff for teenagers generally

OP posts:

spiderpig8 · 03/03/2010 16:59

No free swimming for anyone over 2 here

CirrhosisByTheSea · 03/03/2010 20:15

I just think it's uniquely whingy to moan about stuff you get free.

It will all be academic soon anyway, if the tories get in they won't pay for anyone to swim free and we can forget this little chunk of time when it happened for some!

pointydog · 03/03/2010 21:20

with the current round of council cutbacks, it'll all go soon very possibly, no matter which party is in power.

eggontoast · 03/03/2010 21:34

On that note, it's not really 'free' is it? We've already paid, so even more reason to use it.

Kbear · 03/03/2010 21:38

Bexley has free swimming for under 16's and over 60's and no fee. It's certainly encouraged me to go more as before it cost nearly £9 for me and two kids, I am a member and they are free so now it costs me £2.80! We go sometimes three/four time a week.

LOVE swimming me!

Also Greenwich borough next door have a reciprocal agreement so we can swim free there too!

LOVE London boroughs!

Ivykaty44 · 03/03/2010 21:42

I paid £2 for a card and took my dd's passprt to prove she was under 16.

It has saved me a small fortune, last summer before the swimming was free for under 16 (although her grandfather could swim free as over 65) it cost me £2 every day - that she went swimming and she wa swimming 3-4 times a week.

This half term was bliss, all her mates got together and walked to the local pool and got in free.

Original poster

daysoftheweek · 04/03/2010 00:15

Cirrhosis you may have a point had I been moaning about free swimming but it's not free here that's what I keep saying. (Never mind eggs point that I paid allready in tax!)

Personally I prefer my politicians honest!

OP posts:

runnybottom · 04/03/2010 00:29

It is free. The payment is not for the swimming but for the registration. Then you get to swim for free whenever you want. Whats to complain about?
And yes it is free, not just free at point of use. It may be paid for by your taxes, but the amount you pay in tax likely doesn't come anywhere close to totalling the amount you use in tax funded services.

tortoiseonthehalfshell · 04/03/2010 00:31

Well personally, if you can't afford to swim I don't know why you have children.

There should be a cap on that sort of thing. Tch. Irresponsible is what it is.

runnybottom · 04/03/2010 00:37

Bit of a rude thread-jack there tortoise.

Not to mention the inaccuracy.

tortoiseonthehalfshell · 04/03/2010 00:41

Sorry, sorry, but the parallels were irresistible.

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