Published Wednesday 13 July 2016 at 9:00
Proposals to introduce a nominal charge for re:fresh leisure activities will be considered by Blackburn with Darwen Council’s Executive Board on Thursday (July 14).
If the proposals are approved, residents will be asked to pay £1 per person to access selected gyms, swim and court sessions that are currently available free of charge available via the re:fresh scheme. All current services accessible via the scheme would stay the same, with the £1 fee payable over the counter at re:fresh facilities. Refresh membership cards would remain free of charge.
The proposal has been drawn up in response to the current financial challenge facing the Council as a result of planned Government cuts to funding during this parliament and, if agreed, would save around £215,000 a year.
A public consultation was held earlier this year with the majority – 63.9% either ‘strongly supporting’ or ‘tending to support’ the council’s proposal to introduce a nominal fee for re:fresh activities.
Established in 2008, re:fresh has provided free leisure services for eight years to a wide range of the borough’s population, helping to turn around poor local health statistics, many of which were linked to physical inactivity.
The Council remains committed to making leisure services as affordable for the public as possible and, if approved, the charge would still remain heavily subsidised.
More information about the changes and a list of the full range of services will be available at: www.refreshbwd.com