A cash-strapped council has rejected a bid to overturn its controversial decision to axe free swimming for children.

Hundreds of people had signed a petition calling for Medway Council to reverse its plan to scrap free swims for under-16s.

The local authority’s regeneration, culture, and environment (RCE) overview and scrutiny committee met last week (March 26) to consider a petition put forward by Medway’s Liberal Democrats asking it to reverse the proposals.

Council officers had already responded to the petition - which attracted 201 signatures - insisting the decision was necessary in order for the council to make financial savings and avoid effective bankruptcy.

They say alternatives were being put in place to make swimming as affordable as possible for families.

However, the petitioners asked for the response to be referred to the RCE committee to be debated.

They claimed officers had not outlined how the poorest in Medway would be supported to get experience with swimming and learn water safety.

They also said the response did not address questions of alternative options which were considered or other funding sources.

Stuart Boarne, the Lib Dems' parliamentary candidate for Gillingham and Rainham said the importance of teaching children water safety was paramount, despite the difficult financial situation.

He also said the decision to cut the scheme might end up costing the authority more than it saved as the higher cost might put parents off taking their children swimming altogether.

Children will be able to swim for £1 if accompanied by a fee-paying adult. However, Mr Bourne said if 40% of parents of the 10,350 children who used free swimming in the past two years decided to stay away the savings would be lost.

If all free-swimmers were put off it could cost the council £74,000, he estimated.

Labour and Tory councillors agreed about the importance of teaching children safety around water and asked officers to provide the details behind their decision.

Cllr Matt Fearn (Con) asked that a recommendation be added which would ask Medway Council’s cabinet to reconsider the cuts for under 16s free swimming.

Cllr Fearn said: “I think we can go one further and add a recommendation that cabinet go back and look again, find this money, and provide free swimming for these children - 10,350 free swims is a lot and it’s the future of Medway, it’s our children.”

However, the committee chair, cllr Alex Paterson (Lab), said the topic had already been discussed at the full council meeting and the detail to be provided would only give context to a decision already made.

He said: “I’m a little bit circumspect about the discussion of referring back to cabinet for the simple reason that we had a lengthy debate on this topic.

“Regardless of the information that comes back to us, I don’t think it necessarily changes the fundamentals.”

Cllr Fearn proposed the recommendation and it was put to a vote, receiving support from the five Tory councillors and Cllr George Crozer (Ind).

But the seven Labour committee members voted against and so it was defeated.

Instead, recommendations to publish additional detail behind the decision and an analysis of school’s access for swimming lessons were agreed unanimously by the committee.

Following the meeting, Mr Bourne said: “I’m deeply disappointed that Medway Labour voted down the recommendation for this to be sent back to the cabinet.

“They claimed that the issue had already been discussed, however that was about free swimming for children and over 60s, not focused just on child swimming.

“I do, however, look forward to receiving the council’s analysis on the potential loss of revenue and the assumptions they made.”