Hundreds run to save free fitness lessons in Walsall

A petition has been handed into the council by campaigners, who have slammed the consultation around the decision as 'fundamentally flawed'

The free fitness sessions will be scrapped by Walsall Council in a bid to save £260,000, under plans.

Councillor Ian Robertson, shadow cabinet member for public health, said the services would still be run - but only for those in serious need of help.

A council report discussed last December revealed that bosses intend to provide more online-based services to help people live healthier, including offering advice, meaning they will encourage those who may no longer be able to get free help from the council to look at other ways of getting healthy.

More than 300 people signed the petition asking for the plans to be rethought, which was delivered to a public health scrutiny meeting earlier this week.

The petition, set up by service user Julie Hykin, also claims the council's consultation process regarding the changes was 'misleading', 'unclear' and not made available for users who don't speak English.

Mrs Hykin said: "We want the council to rethink these plans, primarily because these services are much loved and well used by people in the community.

"Aside from that, we believe the consultation surrounding the proposals was fundamentally flawed.

"Most people were only aware of the plans a week before a decision was discussed.

"The questionnaire was not made available in additional languages, leaving large numbers of service users unable to participate in the consultation process.

"Proposed models of reorganisation were not available, leaving users unable to make an informed decision on future service preferences.

"The wording of some questions was also unclear leading some of us to give answers we didn't intend to.

"We believe the results of this consultation were misinterpreted due to all of these reasons."

It is estimated that the consequences of physical inactivity in Walsall could cost the local economy £33 million per year through increased sickness absence, reduced productivity and increased cost to individuals and their carers.

Council spokesman Peter Cole said the petition was now going through its democratic processes and would be responded to formally next week.

He referred to the council's petition policy which states: "Upon receipt of a petition, either presented at council, committee or received directly by the council, an acknowledgement will be sent to the petition organiser within 10 working days.

"It will let them know what we plan to do with the petition and when they can expect to hear from us again. It will also be published on our website."