Councillors concerned about swimming figures

Ted Peskett, Local Democracy Reporter

City councillors are worried that fewer children are having swimming lessons in Cardiff a year after a study showed that only 16% in the city could swim.

Figures published recently by Greenwich Leisure Limited (GLL), which runs a number of leisure centres in Cardiff, show there were a total of 4,300 people signed up to its swim school membership as of March, 2025, compared with 4,641 in March, 2024.

One leisure manager told councillors at a meeting in April 2024 that she was “saddened” by the findings of a Cardiff Metropolitan University and Swim Wales study on swimming ability, which showed only 16% of children in Cardiff could swim and that only 57% of primary schools in the city sent pupils to swimming lessons in 2022-23.

‘Disappointing’

Head of service at GLL Cardiff, Lee Jones, was questioned on the study and GLL’s own figures at the latest Cardiff Council economy and culture scrutiny committee meeting.

There was an increase in the number of people signed up to swim school membership between March, 2019 (4,387) and March, 2024.

However, one scrutiny committee member, Cllr Margaret Lewis said this was not a good improvement over a six-year period.

Mr Jones said: “It [swimming] is a key life skill. It [the data] is disappointing to see.

“One of our major objectives… is to get that number up.”

GLL, also known as Better, has a number of classes for children aged four to 16 years.

Mr Jones added: “When we look at penetration, I think we are on about 5% of that age group coming to see us and GLL’s national average is 7%, so we are 2% down.

“At least we need to increase it by that 2% which is probably 500-600 people, but I would like to go above that in Cardiff and give people that opportunity to swim.”

Encouragement

Mr Jones said Better was also trying to encourage parents to take their children to the swimming pool from the ages of 0-5 by offering concessionary prices.

Another scrutiny committee member, Cllr Jamie Green, brought up the findings of the Cardiff Metropolitan University and Swim Wales study that came out last year and asked what Better was doing to improve the situation.

Mr Jones said: “I am aware of the stats. We are working with Cardiff Met and… Swim Wales in terms of how we are taking that forward.

“They are going through a trial period at the moment… I think they have looked at clustering certain schools to go to pools.

“The results haven’t come back from that, but as soon as they are published I can let you know about it.

“What I can say is, I have worked in another local authority in Wales before moving here and as a result of some of the work that I did we moved children learning to swim from 37% up to 85%.”

You can find out more about swimming lessons for children in Cardiff by visiting www.better.org.uk/cardiff-better-swim-school.