FREE swimming lessons for all Bolton primary children could sink without trace when schools take control of their own purse strings.

Fears are growing that many schools will use the money instead to improve standards in the classroom.

And there is concern that children from poorer families who cannot afford private lessons will be put in danger by the new policy.

Bolton town hall has always kept some money back from schools to provide at least one term of free lessons for all primary pupils.

But from next April they will have to share out the £204,000 annual cost of the scheme between more than 100 schools as part of the Government's plans to force headteachers to manage their own budgets.

Sports organisations and some Bolton councillors fear governors at some primary schools will divert the money into other subjects because swimming is no longer a compulsory part of the national curriculum.

Cllr Eric Johnson said: "If schools are given the choice they may not see swimming as a priority.

"But I think it is very important every child learns to swim -- you never know when they might need it in a life-threatening situation."

By April 2000 Bolton schools could get the money to pay for a range of services supplied by the council -- structural repairs, supply cover, educational advisers, school dinners, insurance, major building work, library work and specialist central services will probably all be delegated.

And David Blunkett has taken away an option preferred by most Bolton headteachers -- allowing them to stay with the local education authority en-masse providing at least 80pc of schools in the town voted in favour.

Now each headteacher will be forced to take over their own budget and buy back individual services from the council or elsewhere, raising fears of extra red tape, more expensive services and redundancies.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.