Low-income families in Wandsworth are in for some great news as the local authority is expanding its Access for All scheme to provide major discounts on various services. The aim is to help struggling residents benefit from more opportunities in the borough and tackle inequality.
Starting from January, the council will be offering even more discounts on its services as part of what they are calling ‘Britain’s best concessionary scheme’. This initiative is in addition to rolling out preventative services to further support residents facing difficulties.
The Access for All scheme was initially launched with free gym and swim sessions for low-income residents back in 2023. Since then, it has been accessed a whopping 55,442 times, according to a recent report by council officers. Additionally, a total of 2,181 free tickets to Tooting Lido were given out over the summer, along with 5,000 discounted tickets for the Battersea Park Fireworks.
The council’s Environment Committee recently agreed to expand the Access for All scheme by offering 50 per cent discounts on standard rates across various services. This includes discounts on fees for parks and allotments, annual memberships for tennis and padel courts, and course fees at Putney School of Art and Design.
Eligible residents will also receive birth and death certificates for free, along with 50 per cent discounts on town hall ceremonies, including weddings, ceremony certificates, and notice fees. Additionally, they will benefit from waived or reduced charges for late returns, photocopying, printing, computing qualifications, making reservations, and hiring rooms at library and heritage venues.
The council will continue to provide free off-peak gym and swim memberships for eligible residents, which can be upgraded to peak times for a small charge. Moreover, students in years two to seven who are unable to swim 25 meters will have access to free swimming lessons during school holidays starting from February.
While the committee agreed to increase charges by 2.2 per cent for other residents across its services, it emphasized its commitment to limiting fee increases to ensure continued and expanded access to services. Labour councillor Rex Osborn highlighted that the administration’s top priority when revising charges was low-income residents, followed by the majority of residents who pay charges.
Cabinet member for environment, Labour councillor Judi Gasser, expressed the council’s dedication to ensuring that all residents can access everything that Wandsworth has to offer. The revised charges were agreed upon by the committee, with six councillors voting in favor and four against. The executive is set to formally approve the charges on December 9.
