LIB DEMS MAKE A SPLASH WITH NEW SWIMMING SCHEME

12.00.00am GMT Sat 15th Nov 2008

Liberal Democrats on Sheffield City Council are set to propose a brand new initiative to make it easier for people of all ages in Sheffield to learn to swim. Some 40% of over 65s cannot swim and some 40% of Sheffield's children can't swim 25 metres by the age of 11. The scheme being put forward by the Lib Dems is will see cheap swimming lessons offered to adults and free swimming lessons offered to children.

The Lib Dem Council recently decided that it couldn't find the millions required to fund a Government scheme to provide under 16s and over 65s with free leisure swimming. However, Lib Dems have been able to put forward this alternative universal initiative at a much lower cost to the local taxpayer.

Under the scheme a crash course of 8 swimming lessons will be provided to adults for just £10, a massive reduction to the current offer charge of £37. Also additional swimming lessons will be provided for primary school age children, targeted at children who cannot swim.

Councillor Sylvia Dunkley, Liberal Democrat Cabinet member for Culture, Leisure and Streetscene, said: -

"As swimming is an essential life skill it is unacceptable that so many people in Sheffield cannot swim. By offering much cheaper lessons for adults and extra lessons for kids, I'm confident that we can start to do something about it."

"The scheme that Labour wanted us to pursue would have had a huge cost for local taxpayers running into millions, was only targeted at specific age groups and did nothing to help people to learn to swim. Our own universal Sheffield scheme comes in at a much lower cost and it addresses the very serious issue of many local people not being able to swim at all."

"I'm hopeful that the whole Council will be able to back our proposal to make it much easier for everyone in Sheffield to be able to learn to swim, regardless of age."