Free swimming sessions at risk

Jesmond Pool is in negotiation with Newcastle City Council to try to save its free swimming programme for under 16s and the over 60s.

As part of the measures to tackle to budget deficit, the government has announced it will no longer provide funding to local councils to provide free swimming for under 16s and the over 60s.

However, by extending its Fusion Card scheme, Newcastle City Council is creating a new programme of free swimming at all city council managed pools – the East End pool, Elswick pool, the City pool, Outer west pool and Gosforth pool.

However, the council’s head of leisure services, Anthony Mckenna, says Jesmond Pool – which is run not by the council but by a charitable organisation – will also be able to offer some session for under 18s as a result of the Fusion programme. “I’m working with the manager to see if we can help the pool deliver sessions for older people as well,” Mckenna told JesmondLocal. “This hasn’t been finalised yet, but we will advertise the programm on the Active Newcastle website when it’s ready which will be in the next 10 days or so.”