Derry & Strabane Leisure Centres price freeze confirmed

At the April Health and Community Committee meeting, Council Officers sought members’ approval for the ‘Leisure and Sports Services Pricing Policy and Schedule of Charges for the 2024-25 financial year’.

An update report stated: “The implementation of a consistent pricing policy and schedule of charges across all leisure and sports facilities is a priority to ensure equality and transparency across the service.

“Consideration was given to the alignment of charges with inflationary increases, however it was agreed that prices would remain unchanged for 2024-25.”

"A key focus would be on increasing participation and usage of facilities.”

A recent benchmarking exercise, comparing Council prices across Northern Ireland, identified that the city and district’s leisure and sports services prices are 35% cheaper for swimming based activities and 15% cheaper for fitness and class-based activities.

However, officers confirmed that key-holder costs for out-of-hours have been increased to reflect recent pay increases.

An officer added: “Additionally, due to recent guidance received from governing bodies there has been a reduction on the ratio of coach to participants involved in climbing courses and the price has been amended to ensure the course is still profitable for Council.”

Sinn Féin councillor Alex Duffy welcomed the news and said it was “good to see our leisure centres remain affordable”.

SDLP councillor Lilian Seenoi-Barr concurred that it was “important that leisure centres remain affordable for people in our city and district”, while DUP Alderman Niree McMorris said it was “good to see we are one of the cheapest pricing structures in Northern Ireland”.

Alderman McMorris concluded: “For the quality of services we have, it represents good value for money for our constituents.”

Andrew Balfour,

Local Democracy Reporter