'Free' swim under fire.

Byline: Alison Dayani

A BIRMINGHAM councillor has called for an urgent review into a controversial pounds 9.3 million scheme to get Brummies more active with free swim and gym sessions after he had to pay to use a pool weeks after its launch.

Quinton Tory councillor Peter Smallbone, a Health Scrutiny Committee member, said the Be Active project had fallen at the first hurdle if leisure centre staff were not aware it was under way.

Dr Chris Spencer Jones, south Birmingham public health director, even admitted to the committee that the scheme "was not perfect" and "the NHS was not confident it could do the job".

Be Active was launched on September 1 and offers Birmingham residents the chance to use council-run swimming pools for free at all times and gyms at offpeak periods.

With more than pounds 9 million of council, NHS and Government funding, it is the biggest project of its kind in Europe aimed at cutting obesity.

Coun Smallbone said: "Even though Be Active went live weeks ago, I had to pay pounds 3.10 at Tiverton Road Baths, in Selly Oak, this week and nothing was mentioned about Be Active.

"An urgent review is needed on all swimming pools to make sure people of Birmingham aren't being ripped off.

"This isn't being implemented properly. Mystery customers should be sent in to check."

Fellow committee member Coun Anita Ward (Lab Hodge Hill) said: "This is nothing more than a ticking exercise. What we need in Hodge Hill is a pool and the money would be better spent improving facilities."

Dave Ellis, a project manager of Be Active, said: "I apologise for any problems Coun Smallbone encountered.

This is a massive project and I would expect problems at the start.

"It isn't aimed at solving bigger city council issues but in driving up activity in facilities that already exist."

CAPTION(S):

Fury: Councillor Peter Smallbone.