Six local authorities are set to extend free swimming schemes to young people after the government revealed in August that funding was still available as part of the £140m initiative.

Up to £1m of government funding, which had yet to be allocated, was set aside in order to enable councils that offered free swimming to senior citizens to also extend the pledge to young people, as well as for new councils to sign up to the scheme. Councils in Barnet, Hertfordshire; Broxtowe, Nottingham; East Hampshire; Mansfield; Plymouth and Reading will now give thousands more young people the chance to swim for free, taking the number of councils now offering free swimming to under 16s to 197.

Meanwhile, Surrey Heath Borough Council has opted to join the scheme for the first time and will offer free swimming to both eligible age groups. A total of 260 local authorities now offer free swimming for people over the age of 60 years old, with more than 4.4 million free swims taken during the first quarter of 2009. Culture secretary Ben Bradshaw said: "This is another huge vote of confidence in the free swimming initiative, which is proving to be a big success in pools in every corner of the country. It is attracting people, young and old, to have fun, and get active and healthy at the same time.

"The local councils that have taken up our offer deserve great credit - and many are putting their own money into the scheme as well, to ensure it reaches as many people as possible." Barnet, East Hampshire, Plymouth, Reading and Surrey Heath councils also applied for a share of a £25m capital modernisation fund to improve or build new swimming pools during 2010-11.

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