South Wales Evening Post - 28 January 2008
Around 1,000 city centre shoppers have signed a petition against the planned £7-a-swim charges at Swansea's £32 million leisure centre. Paper quickly ran out as hundreds flocked to sign Swansea Labour group's new petition against what it calls "rip-off Swansea".
The petition was launched as opposition parties hit out at the decision to charge visitors to the LC £7 a swim.
The leaders of Labour and Plaid in Swansea have reacted angrily to the price for a session at The Edge - the name for the centre's water park.
Labour group leader David Phillips was in the centre on Saturday campaigning for a reduction in cost.
He said: "This is rip-off Swansea and people won't fall for this slight of hand.
"These charges are on top of the £1 million that the council intends to give the Leisure Centre company every year. Swansea people are therefore being asked to pay twice. Once from their taxes or in service cuts, and then again to get through the door."
Remarking on the petition's early success, he added: "As the numbers who signed can testify, local people are clearly shocked and very angry.
"Council leisure centres should be about promoting exercise and leisure for the many, not the few."
LC chief executive Richard Proctor has described the prices as "exceptional value for money", and Swansea Council leader Chris Holley points out that the Swansea Residents' Card will allow local people to claim a £1 discount.
But Plaid leader Darren Price agreed the entry price was still too high.
He said: "My initial reaction to the new leisure centre's pricing policy is one of shock. It will certainly hit people's pockets hard, particularly those regular users of the centre.
"These charges will not, in my opinion, do much to promote physical activity within the city and county at a time when we're meant to be promoting healthy lifestyles.
"While Plaid welcomes the principle of the Swansea Residents' Card, I do not believe the £1 discount will encourage that many more people to attend."
But Councillor Holley has come out fighting.
He said: "The Labour group in the council is simply just jealous they weren't the ones behind, what will be, the best water park in the UK. Let's not forget - they were the ones who caused the leisure centre to close through neglect. We reopened it."
Mr Holley also insisted the cost of swimming there was not expensive.
"People should wait and see before they judge it. It's £6 for two hours' fun in a water park for adults who live in Swansea. That's comparable with the same price of seeing a film in Swansea on the weekend.
"It's £3 for young people and there will be discounts for the Passport To Leisure scheme."
