County to cut leisure costs for armed forces

The armed forces will have membership fees for leisure centres in a Staffordshire district slashed, under new plans announced to honour the "marvellous job" they do.

Bosses in Cannock Chase want to give servicemen and women a 50 per cent discount, bringing their rates in line with the £15 monthly fee paid by benefit claimants. Currently army, navy and air force personnel are charged £25 a month, £5 cheaper than full price.

Council leisure boss Christine Mitchell also wants payments suspended for tours of duty.

Under her proposals, charges would only apply when servicemen and women were in the country.

Today Councillor Mitchell, announcing the plans, said she wanted to repay them for their work.

"I was approached by a resident and I said I would look into this," she said. "At the moment the armed forces only benefit from the corporate rate, which is £25 a month.

"Under the concessionary scheme available for low income groups, they pay £15 a month and I want to extend that to the armed forces.

"They are doing a marvellous job for us and I thought it was a wonderful job to give them a bit of a boost."

She added: "We are also looking at extending their membership while they are out of the country."

Officers are preparing a detailed report which will outline the cost of the scheme, and how many armed forces personnel based in the district will benefit.

Councillor Mitchell is due to present the proposals to a meeting of the culture and sport committee on April 17. If they receive a favourable reception the plans will then go forward to cabinet.

Council leader George Adamson today said he was fully behind the scheme. "This is a great idea," he said. "The armed forces do such a wonderful job for the country, this is the least we can do for them."