Falkirk councillors have agreed to expand a leisure scheme for people on low incomes to include care-experienced young people and asylum seekers.
The council's Go Card - a concessionary card offering free or discounted access to council-run leisure services - will be relaunched as Go Card PLUS in a bid to help more people living in poverty stay healthy and well during the cost of living crisis.
At a meeting of Falkirk Council's executive today (Tuesday) councillors agreed that offering free or low-cost entry to leisure facilities, including swimming, would help people on very low incomes stay healthy and well.
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Also eligible are full-time students, people receiving benefits and those aged over 65. The enhanced scheme will also make it easier for families to be helped as the council has pledged a "whole family approach" to the new scheme.
The changes have been made as part of the council's commitment to reducing poverty.
The council leader, Councillor Cecil Meiklejohn, said it was a recognition that "the cost of living crisis has not gone away and will continue to be with us for some time".
Councillors particularly welcomed the fact that the scheme finally includes care-experienced young people.
Cllr Meiklejohn said that this was something that members of Falkirk Champions Board - which gives care-experienced young people a voice in decision-making - have long said would make a real difference to their mental health and wellbeing.
She said: "The Champs Board have been asking for this for a number of years and we eventually said 'it's the right thing to do so lets get on with it'. They will be over the moon with this."
Councillors also agreed it was the right thing to do for around 100 asylum seekers who are currently living in Falkirk hotels but not allowed to work. Councillor Robert Spears said there was a particular need to help refugees and asylum seekers who we have asked to come into our community.
He paid tribute to the work of the voluntary group FOSS (Friends of Scottish Settlers) who are helping local asylum seekers as they wait for months for their asylum claims to be processed.
"I've met with some of these people - they are decent, honest people fleeing persecution beyond our comprehension," he said.
Go Card PLUS members will get free swimming until at least March 2024, and free sports development places are included for children of Go Card PLUS members. Free sessions are also provided within the Active Forth Programme, previously offered at a discount.
Members of the executive heard that the cost of the enhanced scheme would be around £75,000 and this would be kept under review. Councillor Cecil Meiklejohn, Leader of Falkirk Council said: “Research suggests that people living in the most deprived areas of our communities are less likely to meet recommended daily activity levels or participate in sport, leading to poorer overall health.
“So, it’s important that we provide a way to widen access to sport, leisure and culture for groups people who may be struggling financially, and the GoCard PLUS helps us do that.”
