During the COVID pandemic understandably the crèche was stopped,

I’ve now been informed by BCC’s senior sport manager that this will be permanent despite other services returning to normality. Pre-COVID, a large proportion of patrons made up the majority of the crèche users. BCC state that these users have not returned to the gym, therefore reinstating the crèche facility is not financially sustainable. They fail to take into account that clearly the reason they have not returned is because there is no facility for childcare to enable them to return and enjoy the use of the centre and its facilities. 

As a woman with children under school age, this has a significant impact on my access to leisure and health services.

No equality impact assessment was conducted by BCC regarding the decision to permanently stop the provision for the crèche. EIAs are required by public service providers to gauge the impact of policy decisions.

I know that I’m not alone in finding it difficult to access leisure and health services due to the crèche being stopped, a decision which I’m sure you’ll agree has a disproportionate impact on women who are more likely to be responsible for childcare during the day.