The rising costs of swimming, museums and leisure centres in Nottingham will have a ‘huge impact on families in a cost of living crisis’, a councillor says.
Nottingham City Council’s ruling Labour group approved its budget for the next year, which begins in April, at a meeting on Monday (March 2).
Under the new budget, a £25 million investment is proposed for a number of services, and council tax will be rising by 3.5 per cent – the lowest amount in 18 years.
However, as part of the budget, fees and charges for a raft of council services will also be rising – such as swimming, the city’s museums service, including the castle and Wollaton Hall, and leisure centres.
Shuguftah Quddoos, Berridge ward’s Green Party councillor, said: “The fee for a new green bin is going up, the admission charge for Nottingham Castle and Wollaton Hall [museum] is going up, and the cost for a family swim will now be £13.10.
“These hidden charges will have a huge impact on families in a cost of living crisis. I think that is really tough for people.”
Admission to Wollaton Hall, Newstead Abbey and Nottingham Castle is being increased from £15 to £18, a 20 per cent rise, from April 1.
A new annual pass ticket for two adults – including parking – at the castle, Wollaton Hall and Newstead Abbey will cost £144.
The cost of swimming will be going up by 20p to £5.90. A family swim – for two adults and up to three children – will increase by 35p, from £12.75 to £13.10.
Monthly costs for health and fitness at council-run leisure centres will be going up from £37.99 to £38.99, while annual membership fees will be rising by £10 to £339.89.
Similarly, fees for football pitches and tennis courts will be rising.
The price of renting out allotments will be put up, with ground rent per square metre increasing from 46p to 48p. The minimum amount of space that can be rented out is currently 125 square metres.
Fishing fees at Colwick Country Park is being increased, alongside marina costs.
On the Victoria Embankment, parking for football and cricket will go up by £1.
In Clifton, Little Treasures soft play charges will be going up by 20p to £3.90, while an exclusive party will cost £155 instead of £140.
An extra £1.50 will be charged for a new bin from April, too.
Furthermore, ceremony fees for marriages, civil partnerships, the renewal of vows, and baby naming at Nottingham Council House will be rising.
These fees will be rising from £470 to £520 on Mondays through to Thursdays, from £520 to £570 on Fridays and Saturdays, and from £575 to £625 on Sundays and bank holidays.
Cllr Quddoos further criticised the continued charges of £26.50 for bulky waste collections.
“The fact they are continuing to charge for bulky waste collection when we know we have fly-tipping increasing across the whole city, it would have been helpful for them to remove that cost, because people might not then fly-tip,” she added.
The council’s deputy leader, Cllr Ethan Radford, said the new budget means residents will collectively keep £2.4m in their pockets through the lower tax hike.
• Nottingham sets 3.5% council tax rise as £25m invested in services
He also promised more neighbourhood safety officers on the streets, after they were cut substantially in past years, as well as improvements to street cleaning and fly-tipping enforcement, parks, and roads.
“This isn’t just for show; they aren’t pet projects or cheap gimmicks. Austerity is over, and it is time the people of Nottingham felt the difference when it comes to a Labour government,” he said in Monday’s meeting.
“That is what you get with Labour: change you can see and change you can feel in your pocket. Our long financial nightmare is over and, as a result, our reputation is beginning to heal.”
