A ROW has broken out in Tadcaster over plans to increase prices at the council-run leisure centre by up to ten per cent.

Tory-controlled Selby Council said the new charges still represented excellent value for money, but Labour councillors blasted the inflation-busting increases as a "council stealth tax".

The charges, approved by Selby District Council's Social Board, will boost income at Tadcaster and Selby Leisure Centres by £47,000.

Labour group spokesman Steve Shaw-Wright said: "These massive increases are almost four times the rate of inflation and, in the case of a family swim in Selby, this represents a rise of 16.5 per cent.

"The extra income generated of £47,000 equates to a 1.25 per cent increase in council tax."

The Conservative group recently announced a council tax rise for 2005/6 of 2.9 per cent, one of the lowest in the country.

But Coun Shaw-Wright said: "The Tories have had to implement the inflation-busting leisure centre charges to try to make up for gaps in the council budget caused by their dogmatic approach to council tax increases.

"It is disingenuous to claim below-inflation council tax increases on the one hand, then hike charges on the other.

"One wonders what other rises in charges there will be and what other services will face cutbacks in future months."

Council leader Mark Crane (Con) today dismissed the Labour group's complaints. He said that, apart from the family swim in Selby, the overall increase in charges was in single figures.

He said: "Our prices are still less than comparable leisure centres in Goole, Knottingley and Rothwell, and significantly cheaper than in York. For the poorer-off and people on benefits we have not only retained the leisure card scheme, but increased the amount of money we put into it for this year."

At Tadcaster Leisure Centre, charges for fitness classes are to rise by ten per cent, while gym and health suite membership prices will go up by five per cent. Charges for sports hall activities will also rise by ten per cent.

For example, an annual gym membership - currently £217 - will cost more than £225. The new charges will come into force on May 1.

Coun Crane said: "Last year we subsidised the leisure centres by £450,000. We now have consultants in looking at how to reduce that deficit this year."

Updated: 10:14 Monday, April 04, 2005