On the 17 June 2010 the Government announced that it was withdrawing funding for the Free Swimming programme for swimmers aged 60 years and over and 16 years and under. The two year initiative was due to run in the District from 1 April 2009 until 31 March 2011, but the funding has been cancelled from 1 August 2010 as part of the Government’s review of spending.

St Albans City and District Council is not in a position to meet the ongoing costs of the programme without Government funding, which amount to approximately £123K per year, so the initiative will have to be withdrawn.

Councillor Anthony Rowlands, Portfolio Holder for Sport and Leisure at the District Council, said: “We intend to minimise the impact in the short-term by extending the free swimming programme for those aged 16 years and under until the end of the summer holidays and continuing free swimming for the under 5’s on an ongoing basis. This will enable youngsters to continue to enjoy free swimming over the forthcoming school holidays which would not otherwise have been the case.”

“Since the programme was launched in April 2009, swimmers aged 60 years and over and 16 years and under have benefited from more than 75,000 free swims at the District Council’s leisure centres. We are therefore disappointed that the funding for Free Swimming will stop at the end of July. However we recognise that the Government needs to make some difficult decisions in the current economic climate and are doing all we can to minimise the effects locally.”

Until 31 July 2010, swimmers aged 60 years and over can continue to take advantage of the free swimming initiative, and those swimmers aged 16 years and under can continue to benefit from the scheme until 31 August 2010.

After 31 July 2010 swimmers aged 60 years and over will have to pay the normal adult price to swim unless they are in receipt of pension credit or get a discount as part of the 50+ swimming programme.

After 31 August 2010 swimmers aged 16 years and under will have to pay the normal junior price (half the adult price), unless they are under 5, in which case they will continue to swim for FREE.

In order to take part in the free swimming initiative, all swimmers must register at their local participating swimming pool:

· Harpenden Swimming Pool (including Townsend Swimming Pool) Tel: 01582 460683.

· Westminster Lodge Leisure Centre Tel: 01727 846031.