Another parent has condemned a new membership scheme at a Huddersfield swimming pool.

Karen Feetham, whose three daughters used to attend the weekly junior tri swimming at Kirklees Active Leisure (KAL)-owned Scissett Baths, said that the new system has seen numbers “plummet” since it was introduced.

Karen, who is now boycotting the adult session she used to attend in protest, said forcing families to buy pricier junior memberships or block booking 10 sessions instead of using a pay as you go basis has hit less well-off families.

She wants KAL to re-introduce the pay as you go sessions alongside the new system, to determine what proves most popular.

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“KAL justifies its policy because it says it ensures that the session remains viable by guaranteeing a suitable level of attendance.

“The sessions have been running for years and they have been well attended - my own estimate is an average of 16 swimmers.

“It has actually guaranteed a non-viable level.

“Since the new system was introduced numbers have plummeted to two or three swimmers.

“Surely the best way to check whether a session is viable is simply to monitor how many people attend.

“If numbers dwindle consistently, the session is not viable. If attendance is high it is viable. Selling a block of 10 sessions doesn’t guarantee that a swimmer will return after that.”

“Run the current pay-as-you-go alongside a membership scheme and block booking and KAL will see the evidence. Businesses don’t prosper by telling their customers what’s good for them.”

Scissett Baths pool has been refurbished

Karen talked about the positive impact the sessions had on her daughters.

“My eldest daughter Grace has through her regular swim sessions been able to compete in triathlons, most notably the Brownlee Tri. I presume the Brownlee brothers weren’t turned away from their local pool when they started.

“Interestingly I, as an adult, can still swim on a pay as you go basis.

“KAL has charity status and benefits and it’s stated aim is to get “more people more active more often”.

“If it continues with this move it will be doing the opposite.

“And what’s worse is that the ones who won’t be affected are those who can afford to pay for sessions they’ll miss. Those who will suffer most are those with least income to spend on activity.”

Rebecca Minors, Assistant Community Sport Development Manager, has said the changes were in order to provide a session led by a qualified coach at a peak time, which meant the session had to be viable by guaranteeing a suitable level of attendance.

“This makes a pay and play approach to these sessions impossible to manage as the session is reliant on customers attending and paying week-by-week, with low attendances, for whatever reason (e.g. seasonality, inclement weather, other commitments, etc) meaning that the activity session becomes unviable.”