York has come a long way since Seebohm Rowntree designated the place at the bottom of the poverty list in the UK.

Many people are still living in “genteel poverty” (I know because I looked after many of them for around 30 years after the health service came into being).

People can remain in this “trap”, even today, so although I do not personally need the recent free swimming, it has saddened me to witness the constructed withdrawal of the facility – especially from those with limited funds.

A few years back I used to hire pools in order to allow stroke patients/asthmatic children to work through their impaired life-style.

There is no doubt in my own mind that the benevolent gifts directed towards the York public in the form of Yearsley pool by the Rowntree family remain with great warmth in the minds of those whose families worked there. The health benefits are enormous.

The “cut backs” are seemingly just a token gesture earnestly promoted to lend support to the new Government ideology, since there is not going to be much percentage generated towards council funds.

An avoidable increase in cardiovascular disorders may arise as a result of this withdrawn benefit.

The York public were not responsible for the “prime mortgage fiasco” – or for the lack of growth in the economy.

I submit that an urgent council meeting designed to create a £1/swim compromise (according to the feedback from elderly people at the pool this week) would be an acceptable and understandable introduction.

David Morris, Priory Street, York.