Wirral parents' dismay at letter saying council cuts mean free swimming for pupils is scrapped

The row over withdrawal of the free sessions comes just days after an outcry sparked when the town hall scrapped "lifetime" leisure passes for 400 retired staff who had been given the passes as long-service gifts.

Letter received by parents today

The local authority said the decision was made on March 3 and is necessary to save cash.

But parent Peter Charles said he had no idea until today when the school's letter arrived - the day the majority of schools break up for Easter holidays.

Mr Charles told the Globe his daughter, who attends Prenton High School for Girls, was looking forward to going swimming during a well-deserved break from exam stress.

He said: “I have to say this removal is outrageous as it is one of the few times we actually got anything 'free' from the council - but not anymore.

“Time-wise this decision has been really poor.

"My daughter and her friends were looking forward to going swimming during their time off and this will be a massive blow.

“We will now have to pay around £15 a month or nearly £5 every time she wishes to go.

“As a family we enjoy swimming and it is great to see our daughter wanting to go it is a way to keep healthy.”

Mr Charles added: "Our council tax has gone up, they have done nothing to reduce the number of councillors and yet they can still squander OUR money on consultants, gagging clauses and pay-offs.

"I have said this time and time again, it is about time the council is brought to heel and once and for all get this shower of inept fools out of office and where they belong - on the dole queue."

A town hall spokeswoman said: “Wirral Council has to reduce its spending by £28m for this coming year.

"We provide leisure services throughout the borough, which require almost £5m in subsidies to break even.

“Changes to leisure concessions were made as part of the budget setting process and were consulted widely on throughout January and February and agreed at Budget Council on March 3.

"To keep the centres financially viable and open for residents to enjoy we are removing free access to the centres for a range of groups.

“This includes children in the school holidays except for children who are in receipt of pupil premium due to family circumstances.

"While we absolutely appreciate that this is disappointing for those people affected we believe making these changes – which amount to in excess of £500,000 savings – will go a long way towards helping us retain a good leisure offer for Wirral residents.

“The letters will have been sent home with children by schools as part of the schools’ usual end-of-term procedure.”

'Lifetime' leisure centre passes ditched...

On Tuesday a former council worker hit out at his "morally bankrupt" former employer for withdrawing his lifetime gym pass because of budget cuts.

Town hall bosses gave Mike Garbutt - above - the pass to its leisure centres after he was forced to retire after 34 years' service through ill-health.

But the 59-year-old from Wallasey, who had worked for the authority’s parks and gardens department, was sent a letter after just nine months demanding he must return the pass.

It said the withdrawal of the "Passport for Life" would take effect from this Friday, April 1.

It later emerged that around 400 such letters had been distributed to former staff.

Mr Garbutt said: "How morally bankrupt has this council become that they are asking for retirement gifts to be returned?

"I am feeling let down and angry."