22 October 2008
The Government has recently put in place a new £140 million fund to boost sport & fitness, through free swimming for over 60s and under 16’s, across the country. Eastbourne Borough Council has subsequently expressed an interest in these initiatives and applied for funding for residents of the town.
The Council has been offered a grant for £38,115 to provide free swimming sessions for the over 60’s. This will involve working in partnership with Eastbourne Leisure Trust and Serco Leisure, who are responsible for the programming of the Sovereign Centre and Motcombe Pools, and who are pleased to make their facilities more readily available to residents.
Eastbourne Borough Council Cabinet Spokesperson for Housing, Health and Community Services Councillor Margaret Bannister says, “The grant for free swimming for over 60s provides a wonderful opportunity for the people of Eastbourne to maintain their fitness levels. We are grateful to our partners for helping us with this programme and look forward to its success.”
The Council are currently in discussions with the Government’s Department for Culture, Media and Sports (DCMS) as regards the funding of swimming for under 16 yr olds. If these discussions are successful a further report will be brought to Cabinet at a later date.
The funding of sessions for the over 60s is initially for a 2 year period, starting April 2009. Further details of the session times will be released early in the New Year.
