At the recent meeting of the Tourism, Equalities, Communities & Culture Committee, the Saltdean Lido was an item of discussion, and Labour Councillors pushed to extend the city’s free swimming for under 16s programme:

Cllrs Nick Childs, Amanda Evans and Amanda Grimshaw celebrated after their Labour motion, calling for an officer report on options for an extension of the Council’s free swimming scheme for under 16s, gained unanimous support at the Council’s TECC Committee.

The Saltdean Lido, which was successfully re-opened in 2013 following a partnership between the Council and resident-run Saltdean Lido Community Interest Company, is not currently part of the Council’s scheme that provides free access for city children at weekends and school holidays.

Cllr Nick Childs, Queens Park ward, said:

“The current scheme only covers the King Alfred, Prince Regent and St Luke’s Baths.

“Residents in the east of the city are not near a public pool that offers free swimming for young people.

“This is not only unfair, but this area also contains some of our most deprived wards where free and convenient children’s swimming is so important.

“Free swimming is fun, safe and healthy to do, great for wellbeing. It is vital in coastal towns that our children learn to swim.

“The cost to the Council to open up Saltdean Lido for free swimming would be minimal, with previous estimates being only £20,000 per annum.

“I hope that the Lido Company would also work with us to improve access given Council grants of over £2m in the last few years.”

Thanks to Labour’s successful motion, officers have been tasked with bringing forward a report with options back to the TECC Committee in time for next summer. Watch this space…

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Image: Creative Commons