Camden Council takes plunge on swimming – Free swimming for kids

Published: 15 July, 2010
by RICHARD OSLEY

THE Town Hall last night (Wednesday) announced it will defy the govern­ment’s move to end free swimming for children – by footing the bill itself.

Despite the grim forecasts from Whitehall and the council’s biggest ever savings drive, leisure chiefs say they still have enough cash to ensure under 16s and over 60s can swim for free in their pools until the end of the summer holidays.

It means there will be free entry to children at the refurbished Prince of Wales Baths when it re-opens in a couple of weeks. The Kentish Town centre will re-open on July 26 after a £25 million re-fit.

Labour’s leisure chief Councillor Tulip Siddiq said: “With the Council opening the stunning facilities at Kentish Town it would be a travesty if large numbers of our children were unable to get the opportunity to use the magnificent pools.”