News from Sheffield Labour

Labour says no free swimming For Sheffield is flippin’ madness!

Labour Councillors, kids and pensioners ‘pooled’ together outside the Town Hall to protest at the Lib Dem council for denying Sheffielders the chance to swim for free. The fountains and water features in the Peace Gardens provided the perfect location and unlike Sheffield’s swimming pools, it did not cost a penny to jump into the water!

The Government offered to splash out a titanic £850,000 on Sheffield but the Lib Dems said “no”. Cash would have been pumped into better pool provision and most importantly free swimming for children and the elderly.

The Lib Dems opted out of the Free Swimming scheme behind closed doors and without any public consultation. A majority 300 out of 354 councils across the country agreed to accept government cash for free swimming, including Labour-run councils in neighbouring Barnsley, Doncaster and Rotherham.

Councillor Jan Wilson said:

“No Free Swimming for Sheffield is just another Lib Dem let down. From next April, 85% of the country’s youngsters and elderly will be able swim for free in their local pools, but not here in Sheffield. Soon the Peace Gardens will be the only place in Sheffield to have fun in the water for free!”

“Free Swimming for Sheffield would give our youngsters a positive alternative for something to do, and would be brilliant in keeping the city’s elderly fit and active. Who knows, by taking free swimming away from Sheffield the Lib Dems could have potentially rid the UK of the next Sheffield Olympic swimmer?”

Paul Blomfield, Chair of Sheffield Labour Party, said:

“We’re calling on the Lib Dem Council to overturn their decision. This is a brilliant Government initiative but the Lib Dems have rashly thrown the offer into the deep end without even asking the public’s views! Judging from today, people are firmly in favour of free swimming as hundreds have signed our petition against the Lib Dems’ decision”

Other news from Sheffield Labour

• Station Bridge roundtable with Transport Ministers announced - 8 February 2012
• Paul Blomfield MP slams Tory "ambush" of Government Fair Access Director - 8 February 2012
• Angela Smith MP highlights economic problems faced by Barnsley - 7 February 2012