The move in a new health and fitness plan should be confirmed later this week

High school students will see the benefit of some state of the art gyms(Image: Manchester Evening News)

Mancunian teenagers will soon get free ‘universal’ access to gyms across the city under a new health drive.

Manchester council bosses have confirmed all high school students aged 11 to 16 will be able to ‘enjoy free access to all council-operated gyms and fitness classes’ in the new financial year. Youngsters should be able to take advantage of the offer at the 10 gym sites listed by Better, the not-for-profit which runs council leisure centres.

It’s the latest announcement in the authority’s new budget, set to be approved on Friday (February 27), which leaders promise will ‘improve everyday lives’.

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“We are now in a position to invest around £11m to protect frontline services and improve them,” executive councillor for finance Rabanwaz Akbar said on Monday morning (February 23).

“People will see an improvement in their neighbourhood and real improvements in their everyday lives.”

Town hall papers say the move will bring physical, mental, and emotional health benefits to teens, and curb anti-social behaviour as they engage positively with their local community.

The new plan will cost £500,000, the Local Democracy Reporting Service understands. Other leisure measures in the budget include re-opening eight major libraries on Sundays from September, along with the return of fireworks in Heaton Park.

Coun John Hacking, pictured at the Aquatics Centre, announced the move on Monday(Image: Manchester Evening News)

A wave of spending has been made possible after the local authority received a 24pc funding boost from the government as ministers changed funding formulas. However, council tax is still set to rise by the maximum-allowed 4.99pc, something Coun Akbar says is ‘prudent’ to do.

“We are acutely aware that the cost of living crisis still exists, which is why we have extensive council tax support packages,” he added on Monday.

“Last year, 30 councils asked for exceptional financial support. 19 had not increased council tax by the maximum allowable.

“If you do not increase by the maximum allowed your council tax base does not grow and you lose that forever. That’s why many councils, despite better funding, have to ask for an increased council tax base.”