Wiltshire council's bank holiday postcode lottery

The sun is shining, and across the county, Wiltshire residents are relaxing, perhaps hoping to enjoy a swim or a trip to the local gym. But thanks to the Conservative administration at the Council, it's a postcode lottery at Wiltshire's leisure centres.

In frontline cuts the Council promised not to make, all Wiltshire council leisure centres are closed for the bank holidays. Meanwhile other leisure centres across the county have been forced to massively hike prices.

Lib Dem Council Group Leader Jon Hubbard said "Conservatives at County Hall have time after time promised that there will be no frontline cuts. Today, at leisure centres across the county, doors were locked and people were denied access to these public facilities.If these aren't cuts then what are?

"Today, I travelled around the County speaking with local people affected by these cuts many of whom were visiting their local leisure centre expecting to use them. What I found was astonishing. When I arrived in Bradford-on-Acvon, the lights were on, the air conditioning running, and the staff still present, but keeping the public out. So where's the saving? Surely this is costing more!"

Howard Marshall, Liberal Democrat Environment Spokesperson on the Council, said "The Lib Dems fully understand the Council has to make big efficiencies in funding, but as we identified during this year's budget debate, there is tremendous waste and inefficiency behind the scenes at the Council. This is where cuts should happen, but the Conservative administration has ignored us, and cut straight at the frontline"

NB. All Wiltshire Council-run 'DC Leisure' facilities are closed on bank holidays from now on. Meanwhile at other Leisure Centres in the county, which are in receipt of Wiltshire Council funding, charges have been hiked. For example, at Five Rivers swimming pool in Salisbury, charges for a child have almost doubled.