The Green administration are looking to significantly increase fees for sporting activities at the city’s leisure centres.
Regular users of facilities like football pitches and swimming pools could be hit by above inflation increases in charges from April, should the policy be agreed by the Council’s economic development and culture committee.
Simon Kirby, MP for Kemptown & Peacehaven has poured scorn on the proposal.
Mr Kirby, who is the Parliamentary Private Secretary (PPS) to the Minister for Sport, Hugh Robertson, has attacked the move as have local olympians and paralympians.
He said:
“As PPS to the Minister for Sport I am seeing firsthand the efforts that people across this country are going to in order to capitalise on the Olympic spirit of 2012 and encourage more people to take up sports.
“This proposal from the Council’s Green Party administration flies in the face of that effort and it is extremely disappointing to that they would try to raid the pockets of enthusiastic young sportsmen and women in this way.
“I note that local Olympians and Paralympians have spoken out strongly against this move in recent days. These athletes know better than anyone the importance of access to good facilities for people looking to take up a sport. I hope the Council listen to their criticisms and drop this policy. I will be keeping the pressure on them to do just that, and though my work with Ministers in the Department for Culture, Media and Sport I will look to raise this issue in Parliament.”
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