Proposals to cut the amount of free swimming offered to Pembrokeshire children by 50% in the school holidays are being put out to consultation by Pembrokeshire County Council.

The Council has offered free swimming for under 16s in the summer holidays for more than ten years, thanks to a grant from the Welsh Government.

However, this February, the Welsh Government cut the grant for the National Free Swimming Initiative by just over 20%.

As a result, the Council is proposing to reduce free sessions in the summer holidays from 14 hours a week to seven hours a week.

The two hour free weekend sessions, which run all year, will remain but accompanying adults, who currently also swim for free, would have to pay £1.

Free structured swimming sessions for under 16s in the school holidays, such as water sports, lessons or skills development, would also be reduced from up to five hours a week to up to three hours a week.

There are no proposed changes to the current disability swimming provision or to free over 60s swimming, although the over 60s would only have free access to one structured session, such as aquafit, a week. After that they would pay a subsidised £2 a session.

A spokesman for the council said that Pembrokeshire Leisure had always provided more than the Welsh Government specified minimum amount of free swimming and that the new proposals would continue to do so.

"We have tried to reduce the impact of these funding cuts on our customers as much as possible, as we know how much people value free swimming," said Cllr Elwyn Morse, Cabinet Member for Culture, Sport and Leisure.

"For example, we are proposing that two popular free general swimming sessions – those for the over-60s, and for disabled people – will remain the same.

"Other sessions are proposed to changes and we urge anyone interested to get in touch to let us know their views."

For more information on all the proposed changes and to respond to the proposals go to the County Council's website www.pembrokeshire.gov.uk/haveyoursay or phone the council's contact centre on 01437 764551 to request a copy of the consultation document.

The deadline for responses is Friday 12th June 2015.