148% Increase in annual charges to swimmers
Swimmers in Windsor face a 148% increase in charges for a pass for annual swimming, after the newly privatised leisure centre withdrew its swimming only annual pass.
Swimmers who had been able to purchase an annual swimming pass for around £100, will now have to fork out £248 for an annual pass for all of the leisure centre's facilities.
At the 2011 council elections the Conservatives vigorously denied local Lib Dem claims they planned to privatise council facilities like leisure centres, whilst at the point of privatisation they promised residents they wouldn't notice any changes except the staff uniforms.
Last month we reported how the Conservative policy had already led to the closure of the leisure centre's creche, and now we are seeing charges go through the roof for some service users.
The policy also reflects the Conservatives' "Stealth Tax" policy in the Royal Borough, whereby the headline rate of council tax ia held down, with Stealth Taxes in the from of increased charges for residents using services being increased instead.
Other Conservative Stealth Tax rises have in the past targetted the vulnerable with a 400% rise in home care chages for the the most frail and a staggering 1000% rise in charges for day centres.
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