THE cost of sport and leisure in Bolton is set to go up. Council leisure chiefs last night approved a rise in fees and charges to meet budget cuts of £343,000.

Charges for using council-run sports centres, golf courses and community centres will go up above the rate of inflation.

The cost of dying is also set to rise with the basic charge of a burial going up from £240 to £260.

There will also be a cut in the council's park ranger service to save £20,000.

Two mobile ranger jobs will go through natural wastage. Three administrative jobs will also go to save £47,500.

There will be a £60,000 cut in the money which the council spends on keeping parks, grounds and cemeteries tidy.

Cllr Gerry Riley, chairman of Bolton's leisure services committee, said: "We can meet some of our shortfall by increasing charges.

"Nevertheless, some of the reductions we have had to make have been very difficult and they will affect the quality of service we offer."

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