A council is “shooting itself in the foot” with planned parking charge changes, leisure centre members have warned.
People using Swallows Leisure Centre in Sittingbourne and the Sheppey Leisure Complex for sport and fitness activities can currently claim a full refund when they park for between an hour and three hours.
However, under new proposals, customers will only be able to claim back one hour of the fee – £1.50 – after the current leisure contract ends on March 31, 2027.
If Swale councillors vote for the change tomorrow (Thursday) the rules would be implemented on April 1, 2027.
The change would see people who park three times a week for two hours forking out £18 extra a month – just under 45% of the cost of a membership, which stands at £33.95 a month.
Swallows gym and swim goers told KentOnline the leisure centres will lose money as members will leave for facilities with free parking.
Mike Carslake, 78, who has lived in the town for more than 17 years and has been a member for almost 20 years, said: “Although I cycle here most of the time, I do park here I have to do a bit of shopping a workout or a swim or if the weather is bad.
“It won’t affect me too much, but I know at least a dozen people who left and didn’t return when the council stopped the refunds altogether a few years ago.
“I think it is shooting itself in the foot as people will leave, as the cost does add up if you are already paying for a membership.”
The former self-employed boss of MC Decorating pointed to when the council scrapped the refunds completely in September 2018.
The local authority u-turned on the move and reintroduced the concession in August 2019.
Former council leader, Roger Truelove, said at the time that the council was removing the barrier to entry by bringing back the refunds, especially for those on low incomes.
Grandmother-of-three Neelum, 71, who did not want to give her second name, says she worked out she was paying more for her parking than for her membership when the refunds were scrapped.
The former NHS nurse who swims at Swallows three times a week said: “I stopped using the car park and found other places to park, and I’ll have to do that again.”
Gym member George Antichan, 71, who was an electrician on Sheppey, said: “I live 20 minutes away, so I can walk, but I think people will stop coming.
“The council want people to exercise, but this is not going to support that.”
Meanwhile, Faversham Pools users will be delighted with the plans, which will extend to the centre in Leslie Smith Drive, as there is currently no refund arrangement.
Swallows and the Sheppey Leisure Complex face plenty of competition for their gym and fitness class offerings.
These include Snap Fitness based in Neats Court in Queenborough and across the road from the council offices in St Michael’s Road in Sittingbourne, as well as PureGym in the town’s retail park.
This is acknowledged in the report, which says “competitor facilities all offer free parking at their facilities” and by removing refunds or reducing them, “it is likely that bidders [for the leisure contract] will increase their tender price to cover the risk of existing members moving to alternative facilities”.
However, the report reasons that the “existing scheme is not affordable” and that the hour refund still gives an “incentive for customers to use the facilities, but caps the ongoing cost”.
KentOnline asked Swale council how much the current arrangement is costing it and how much extra revenue it expects to bring in under the new plan, but it would not comment on these details.
The council will also vote on whether to invest £2 million into all three sites during Thursday’s meeting, to be held at Swale House in Sittingbourne at 7pm.
The funds will be used to improve service areas, boilers, air handling and pool filtration systems.
Sheppey pool and Swallows had been earmarked by council bosses for upgrades in a “wish-list” as part of efforts to deal with a potential population boom.
Faversham Pools was not part of this “priority” list.
Separately, work has started on a £14 million upgrade of the Sheppey Leisure Complex in Beachfields, as part of the £30 million Sheerness Revival scheme – which is being paid for by the government.
Both Swallows and the Sheppey centre are managed by the Swale Community Leisure Trust, which commissioned Serco Leisure to run day-to-day operations.
A Swale council spokesman said: “We want to make sure everyone across the borough has access to discounted parking when using our leisure sites, while also remaining financially responsible.
“We are looking to introduce a new one-hour parking refund at Faversham Pools, and to cap the refund to one hour at Swallows and Sheppey leisure centres, from 2027.
“This will help us create fairness across our leisure sites and reduce the costs of these non-statutory services, as we work towards a balanced budget.
“We are also proposing to increase our investment in these much-loved leisure centres, to make sure residents can enjoy them for years to come.”
