Dad cries foul on sport price rises

Mick Binks, from Batley, said the cost of taking his four-year-old son to football and parent-accompanied swimming lessons at Dewsbury Sports Centre had gone up from £19 to £31.55 monthly.

He said: “When’s he’s four years old that’s ridiculous.

“And the thing is when you pay with a direct debit you end up missing two sessions if you go on holiday.

“I think it might even be cheaper to go into Leeds. The facilities at Morley Leisure Centre are better anyway.

“I thought there was an Olympic legacy of being active – obviously not for four-year-olds!”

A spokeswoman for Kirklees Active Leisure said subsidised funding for children’s football, at Dewsbury Sports Centre only, was no longer available and prices were now the same as other KAL sports centres.

She said: “The most cost-effective way for a junior to be part of the KAL Swim Academy and to attend Pre Kickers would be to enrol on to a Gold Junior Membership, which costs £31.55 per month or £23.00 per month with a Kirklees Passport.

“Prices are reviewed from time to time and compared against competitors.

“Discounts are available for Kirklees residents who are eligible for a Kirklees Passport.”

More information is available at www.kirkleesactive.co.uk