Fees and charges to use council-owned leisure centre facilities across the New Forest are set for an above-inflation increase.

Freedom Leisure, which operates five sites on behalf of the district council, is seeking permission to put up its prices by significantly more than the current consumer price index of 2.3 per cent.

The not-for-profit charitable organisation must get approval from councillors to bring in the proposed increases from February next year.

On average, memberships would increase by 6.1 per cent, swimming rates would rise by 7.2 per cent and activities, such as gym sessions, group classes and hall bookings, would go up by 7.6 per cent.

New Forest District Council cabinet members supported the proposals at a meeting on Wednesday, December 4.

Cllr Dan Poole, portfolio holder for community safety and wellbeing, said it was “unfortunate” but “not entirely unexpected given the national picture at the moment”.

Portfolio holder for finance and corporate Cllr Jeremy Heron said: “It is never popular when you put up fees and charges.

“However, working with our partners at Freedom Leisure, I think they continue to provide outstanding value for money and deliver the service in a way that, had this remained in-house, we never could have delivered, at a price we could never have delivered it for.”

The council’s assistant director for finance, Paul Whittles, said Freedom Leisure had increased prices previously.

He said this had always been below CPI and not required approval from the local authority due to flexibilities in the partnership, which started in 2021.

Mr Whittles said the long-term impact of increased utility costs, as well as the staffing cost increase due to recent changes in national insurance, meant this approach was no longer possible.

A report to cabinet by Freedom Leisure said: “There is a strong case present for above-contractual increases due to the significant wage inflation pressures on our people-led services leading to a deterioration in current customer service and experience levels.”

The final decision on the fees and charges increase for the Applemore, Lymington, New Milton, Ringwood and Totton leisure centres will be made at an upcoming full council meeting.