Pensioners protest in swim row
COUNCILLORS in Sheffield found themselves in hot water this week as they were confronted by pensioners demanding to know why they would not get free swimming.
Sheffield is set to miss out on free swimming for the over-60s and the under-16s because the ruling Liberal Democrat group says the Government is failing to allocate enough money.
Three hundred out of 354 local authorities, including Doncaster, Rotherham, Barnsley and North East Derbyshire, have confirmed they will take advantage of the 140m Government scheme.
Sheffield Pensioners Action Group pressed councillors to think again so that Sheffield could jump in as well.
One member, Ivy Marshall, said: "Why are the Lib Dems refusing to fund these free swimming sessions?
"What have the council got against the elderly in this city? Don't forget we are the grey vote."
Another, Hilda Sable, added: "Activity Sheffield is supposed to be for everybody but pensioners it seems.
"Swimming is one thing pensioners can do when their joints start to wear out."
The Lib Dems say they are protecting local council taxpayers, accusing the Government of a "sham" with its offer of free swimming.
At a meeting of the full council on Wednesday the Lib Dems said the city would have to find 250,000 to cover the cost of the sessions for the over-60s – to cries of "Is that all?" from Labour.
Labour accused the Lib Dems of "trying to hide behind the excuse that the Government funding isn't enough".
"But if that's the case, how come 85% of other councils have been able to make the figures stack up?" said leader Jan Wilson.
She added: "I am appalled the Lib Dems appear to have made the decision to turn down the Government's offer of money for free swimming behind closed doors."
But Coun Sylvia Dunkley, Lib Dem cabinet member for leisure, said: "When we got the figures through it materialised that it was not full funding but a contribution from the Government towards the cost.
"We would have been left with a loss of revenue. If we had provided the over 60s sessions alone there would have been a shortfall of a quarter of a million pounds."
The council has written to the Government to ask it to provide Sheffield with the full amount of funding.
The Government is trying to encourage swimming as part of a bid to get more people involved in sport by the time of the 2012 Olympics.
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