VISITS to Oxford leisure facilities rose to almost a million between March last year and April this year, despite a putting up prices.

Visit recorded at Oxford City Council-owned leisure facilities rose to 991,212 in the 12-month period, an increase of 12 per cent against a target of five per cent.

This was despite the Labour-run council charging an average 6.7 per cent more to use leisure centres and swimming pools from January.

The 12 per cent increase in visits comes after a 4.5 per cent increase in 2008/09 to 2009/10, an increase from 849,613 to 888,378.

Visits were slightly up from January to March, when the prices rose, compared to the same period the year before, 276,129 to 277,357.

Management of the centres was handedto not-for-profit leisure firm Fusion in 2009 and the council said this helped it slash its cash contribution per user from £2.45 to £1.14 last year.

Van Coulter, city executive board member for leisure services, said he was impressed by the standard of city leisure centres. He said: “I have spoken to users and they are delighted with them.”

In January, the cost of a child’s casual swim rose from £2.10 to £2.30 and the cost of an adult casual swim rose from £3.60 to £3.90.

Use by the over-50s has risen by 48 per cent, use by those under 16 by 63 per cent and use by disabled people by 107 per cent.

The numbers are likely to be have been boosted by the council’s refusal to axe free swimming for the under-17s despite withdrawal of Government funding for the scheme.