School sports hire fees - 'Refine plan - but principles are sound'

with doctors warning about a rising tide of childhood obesity, it seems an odd time to make it more expensive to hire sports facilities for kids.

But these are no ordinary times. The country is still struggling towards economic recovery. The city council has a 90m black hole in its budget. And families face a double onslaught of the threat of unemployment and rising inflation.

It is the latter - the impact of the recession on ordinary folk - which may cause councillors to pause before they rubber-stamp officials' plans to impose new - generally higher - flat-rate charges to hire school facilities in Edinburgh.

They may reasonably worry that just a few more pounds per session will drive yet more city sports clubs to closure. Yet they would be wrong to do any more than refine the proposals next week, as the principles are broadly sound.

Making secondary schools a hub of community activity rather than shutting them at weekends makes eminent sense. Flat-rate fees will also mean equality across the city. Most of all, it will be positive to give headteachers control of their facilities - and, crucially, any income to spend on their schools.

In a bid to lessen the impact of higher fees on hard-up clubs, education boss Marilyne Maclaren wants them to be able to cut the rates they charge too, but that could put headteachers in an invidious position.

It would be better if the council can tweak its generally sensible plan to come up with centrally- decided lower rates for clubs in the most deprived areas.

Our golden goose

Passengers will be concerned to read of the council's plans to grab a bigger share of Lothian Buses' profits.

Already worried it will be used to prop up a loss-making tram service, they will fear any further attempt to divert profits will lead to a poorer service for the operator's 350,000 daily customers.

In tough economic times, councillors have a duty to explore every source of potential extra income and it was inevitable their eyes would be drawn to the council-owned firm's 9m profit last year.

But this is a path down which they should tread very warily, especially as the local authority already picks up a 2m a year dividend.

The King's panto rarely contains political lessons, but anyone who saw Jack and the Beanstalk will know that when you own a goose which lays golden eggs you must look after it very carefully.