YOUR New Year’s resolution to get fit will lose more pounds than expected with charges at Oxford’s leisure centres rising 6.7 per cent on average next week.

Prices for all activities, including swimming, fitness classes and ice skating, will increase from Sunday, three months earlier than scheduled.

Although the average increase is 6.7 per cent, some charges will be much higher, as the increases will be rounded up to the next 10p.

For example, the cost of a child’s casual swim will rise 9.5 per cent from £2.10 to £2.30.

The increases are the highest since Fusion Leisure took over the running of the city council-owned facilities in April 2009 and higher than most increases since April 2007.

An adult casual swim rose 2.9 per cent in April 2008 and 2009, but will rise 8.5 per cent, from £3.60 to £3.90 this year.

Fusion Leisure said it was bringing forward its annual April increase, 4.7 per cent this year, and rolling it in with the January 4 rise in VAT.

There will no changes to the Bonus Slice membership scheme for people on low incomes or benefits and there will be a new concessionary membership scheme.

The Labour-run council said the 4.7 per cent rise reflected the 4.2 per cent retail price index inflation rate.

However, Temple Cowley Pools user Nigel Gibson hit out at the increase, as the council plans to close the facility next year and replace it with a new multi-million pound pool in Blackbird Leys.

He said: “Users will be outraged. They’re facing an increase when the council intends to remove this service.”

And he branded bringing the rise forward to coincide with the VAT increase as “cynical”.

He said: “They should keep the price set last April until this April.”

The increases come after the council hailed their decision to hand the centres to Fusion in 2009 as a way of saving taxpayer money, cutting council costs from £2.14 to 39p a visit.

The council says not-for-profit organisations such as Fusion get tax advantages, such as business rate relief and some Value Added Tax exemptions.

The council’s executive member for leisure Bob Timbs said: “Overall, it’s very fair. The public cannot expect leisure centres, with all the running costs they incur, for nothing.

“People will cope with it. It’s not a major rise.”

The Liberal Democrats, the largest opposition group on the council, backed the move. Deputy leader Mark Mills said: “It looks quite sensible to us.

“A lot of people are paying more to use leisure facilities but because of the Fusion contract, they are paying a lot less as taxpayers.”

Fusion said it had to increase the charges as it was not allowed to reclaim the VAT increase on its expenditure, such as maintenance and supplies.

Spokesman Stephen Lee said: “As a non-profit distributing organisation Fusion will reinvest all surplus profits back into the services we offer.

“Prices still offer very good value for money and are very competitive. In addition, Barton Leisure Centre, Blackbird Leys Leisure Centre, Ferry Leisure Centre and Oxford Ice Rink have all benefited from major improvements over the past two months.”

A new £29 concessionary membership scheme will be available from Monday to Friday, between 9.30am and 4pm, for those on low incomes and in receipt of certain benefits.

Fusion and the council share centre profits and a council report said the hike would “increase the possibility of an improved net surplus”.

The council must approve any price increase. The Labour-run executive is expected to rubber stamp the changes on Wednesday.

Last year, free swimming for under-17s was cut back and free swims for pensioners were cut altogether following the Government’s decision to end funding.