3 year wait for swimming lessons 'unacceptable' - Alexander

1-Feb-2010

Commenting after it emerged that children seeking swimming lessons at the Aquadome in Inverness are being told they could face a 1040 day wait, local MP Danny Alexander said:

"Every child should have the chance to learn to swim. Swimming is a very important skill in terms of safety, and can offer enormous health benefits all the way from early childhood to old age.

"A wait of over one thousand days is plainly unacceptable - 3 years is a very long time indeed in a young child's life. I will be seeking to clarify how many children have had to wait so long, and what exactly in the system is causing lessons not to keep pace with demand from parents.

"If - as seems likely - the major constraint is the facilities at the Aquadome, this strengthens the case for a new pool to be an early feature of the proposed university campus in Inverness. It would bring a big and immediate benefit to the whole community and become the foundation for a positive relationship between UHI and people from all over the Highland Capital."

ENDS