Leisure centre users face price hike

The price hike proposition would come into effect from 1 January if approved

Prices at council-owned leisure centres in Worcester could increase by an average of nearly 6%, the city council has said.

Rising energy and staffing costs are outstripping increases in income, according to the authority.

Freedom Leisure, which runs leisure services on behalf of the council, has proposed to hike the fees on a majority of activities from 1 January.

Rob Tyler, area manager at Freedom Leisure, said income was about half a million pounds over the target for the past year, but expenditure was "£600,000 over what we thought it would be".

If the plans for through, one of the biggest rises will see unlimited swimming access for over 75s increase from £20 per annum to £26.

Pay-and-play tennis at Cripplegate and Gheluvelt parks has been marked to increase by 4%.

Casual swim charges would increase from £7 to £7.30 for adults, and from £3.70 to £3.90 for juniors.

Additionally, the cost of using artificial grass pitches at Perdiswell Leisure Centre could go up by 10%, but no increases are proposed for the pitches at St John's or Nunnery Wood.

The council said Freedom Leisure had worked to reduce energy consumption by £55,023 at Perdiswell Leisure Centre, £678 at St Johns Sports Centre and £7,407 at Nunnery Wood Sports Complex.

But it added that prices needed to go up so the leisure trust could meet its "contractual obligations as much as possible in the current economic climate".

Before price increases can be implemented, they will need the approval of full council, which meets on November 25.