Four Oxfordshire councils will not open up their pools for free swimming to pensioners and children – despite being offered Government cash.

The Vale of White Horse, Cherwell, South Oxfordshire and West Oxfordshire district councils have all ruled out joining the £140m initiative, which was rolled out today. The decision has outraged many as free swimming will be offered to pensioners and under-16s at Oxford City Council’s pools.

Yesterday, the district councils lined up to explain the pressure it would add to their leisure budgets, but many pool users felt all local authorities should sign up.

Kenneth Hill, 85, of Little Court, Grove, who takes part in a pensioners’ swim at Vale-run Wantage Leisure Pool, was disappointed at the council’s decision. He said: “I am absolutely staggered. It would encourage more people to swim which would ultimately help improve people’s health.”

Gillian Spong, 63, of West Hanney, added: “If people could swim for free it would save people a lot of money, particularly at a time when everyone is feeling the financial pinch.”

The Government programme is part of a promise to help get two million people more active by the time London hosts the 2012 Olympics and Paralympics.

A spokesman for the Vale council – where leisure facilities are run by Soll – said while it supported the idea, the council could not afford it. The spokesman said the cost in the first year would have been £20,000 on top of the Government grant.

He added: “The cost would have increased as people used the facility more because it was free.

“This, and the fact it was a take it or leave it option from the Government, meant it would have had to have provided free swimming for all pensioners and under-16s who wanted it – or not be part of the scheme at all.”

South Oxfordshire District Council, where council pools are run by leisure firm Nexus, estimated it would cost £48,500 a year to take part. A spokesman added: “When Government funding ceases in the third year it is estimated the programme would cost the council £128,500 per year.”

A Cherwell District Council spokesman said: “Figures show it would cost Cherwell an estimated £58,000 a year for two years to take part in the programme. This would rise to over £180,000 in the third year after Government support ends.”

Hilary Biles, West Oxfordshire’s executive member for leisure, tourism and health, said: “When we looked into this, we found that the Government funding would be insufficient, and would have left a shortfall of almost £160,000 over the two-year programme.

“This would have required a significant investment from us – and therefore our council taxpayers – which we could not meet out of our budget.”

Oxford City Council has offered free swimming for under-16s since April 2006.

It has been allocated £70,038 per year from the Government for the next two years to increase participation in swimming for youngsters. It will also get £30,186 per year for the same period to encourage over-60s to swim.

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