FORTY per cent of respondents complained in a recent London survey about the lack of a swimming pool close to where they live.

According to Sport England's recommended national standards there should be one swimming pool for every 20,000 residents - yet in London we manage only one pool for every 66,000 residents.

There has been a constant shortage of funds because sports facilities are regarded as non-essential services and these are often the first to be cut when budgets are tight. This needs to change.

Local authorities should be given a statutory duty to ensure adequate leisure facilities and be assured of sufficient funding to bring their swimming provision up to scratch.

It will be a real blight on Olympic London if we don't see a real increase in local swimming facilities by 2012.

CLLR DARREN JOHNSON AM

Green Party Member London Assembly