Free passes to the pool
Posted by Lynne Featherstone, MP for Hornsey and Wood Green, at 13:58, Tue 12 February 2008:
As you may have heard Haringey Council is planning to cut free leisure services for the over 65s. This is a ridiculous piece of penny pinching - the cost is a mere £52,000, a drop in the ocean compared to the £2 million the Council spends on "communications" and spin such as the "better Haringey" billboards advertisements and its magazine - Haringey people.
My Lib Dem colleagues opposed this cut at the last weeks council meeting - but Labour refused to back down. So leisure passes were cut instead of their wasteful spin.
I really think this isn't on. Leisure facilities not only have a massively beneficial effect on people's health and wellbeing, but they are also an important social hub. By charging for these facilities the Council will put them out of reach for a large number of older people. Not only will older people's health inevitably suffer as a result, but the gap between the haves and the have nots will grow that little bit wider. Many local pensioners have told us how their doctors have advised them to exercise at the local leisure centre and are dumbfounded at the council's decision.
I hope the council see sense and reverse this short sighted decision. To this end I have set up a petition at http://campaigns.libdems.org.uk/leisure. Please sign it and lets see if we can force the council to change it's mind.
Kind regards,
Lynne.
Lynne Featherstone MP Hornsey & Wood Green MP (Lib Dem) http://www.lynnefeatherstone.org
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