Leeds City Council is moving ahead with plans to provide free sports and fitness sessions in an effort to get the city more active and reduce the burden on the public health system.

Sport England has earmarked £500,000 in support for the council's 'Leeds Let's Get Active' pilot, with another £500,000 being invested by the city council from its community health budget. The scheme will provide a free hour of gym or swimming sessions each day at council managed leisure centres.

The proposals, which will be considered by the council executive at its board meeting on 24 April, would be open to anyone but the scheme aims to specifically target those who currently do not take part in physical activity.

Figures released by Sport England show the basic cost of physical inactivity for Leeds in 2009-2010 was £10.95m.

Council member for health and wellbeing Lisa Mulherin said: "Apart from improving participation and health and wellbeing, there will also be significant benefits for the city in terms of reducing the pressure on health services, so it really has the potential to be a fantastic win-win all round."

The scheme would be jointly managed by the council's sport and active lifestyle service and the new public health services, which were transferred to the council on 1 April.

Other elements of the scheme would include free running and walking groups in local parks and packages for leisure centre access for as little as £5 for three months.