CHILDREN at a school in a Wrexham village will be able to go swimming when the new term starts in September, after a grant application was successful.

Park CP School in Llay applied to Llay Community Council for £1134 to cover 50% of the cost of providing transport to take children to and from weekly swimming sessions. After a lengthy discussion on the matter at its monthly meeting on Wednesday evening, the community council agreed that swimming was a life saving skill and that they would provide the funding this year, on the basis that the school the payment was a "one-off".

Cllr Dennis Owen, Vice-Chair of the community council said: "I personally think swimming is more important than school trips as it's something that is a weekly occurrence and is actually part of the children's curriculum.

"I'd consider saying yes even if they'd asked for the whole amount, but they haven't, they've only asking for 50%. However, I do think they should be asking parents to contribute."

As part of the grant application process, the school said they did not want to ask parents to make a contribution towards the cost, which is something several the councillors took issue with.

Cllr John O'Keefe said: "I support giving the school money as swimming is such an important thing. The problem I've got, isn't to do with the money, it's about asking the parents. My children learnt how to swim and I had to contribute.

"If parents haven't got the money, that's fair enough, but they're not even prepared to ask and that can't be right. I don't care what anybody says because there are people paying council tax who can't afford it and there are plenty of people living in the village who haven't got children but they've still got to contribute. Not asking parents is just totally wrong."

As swimming is part of the curriculum provided at the school, another issue raised by councillors was the fact the funding was not in provided by the education authority.

Cllr Win Austin said: "From my perspective, and like many of you, I think we should support it, but at the same time, I can't understand that if it's part of the curriculum, why the funding isn't there from the education authority? Is that an aspect for us as a community council to follow up, to ask them, why is the funding not there and why is this not being provided to the children?"

Cllr Sandra Apsley said: "We all know about the cuts that are happening everywhere, including in our schools that our grandchildren and children go to and the thing is, when cuts are made, the likes of swimming gets left behind. Swimming is a life saving exercise. Some families have maybe three of four children and the parents priority might be putting food on the table, not paying for swimming. So if we can help them learn to swim, then we should give them the money."

The school applied to the community council last year for the same funding, but was refused on grounds of cost, with local company Lloyd Morris Electrical Ltd, eventually stepping in to meet the shortfall.

Cllr Dave Adams, who made the proposal, which was carried on the deciding vote of the Vice-Chair, said his main concern in the council agreeing to the funding would be it leading to an expectation from the school that they would be granted the funding year on year, which would simply be unaffordable.

He said: "I think we should support the school this year but we need to make it clear that it's a one-off payment and is not something that can be ongoing."