Council wants £85 a week for my free Pilates class

A Pilates instructor fears she could have to stop running her free community sessions after being told she must now pay the local council £85 per week.

More than 100 people regularly attend Alexandra Beard's Sunday morning classes at Bell Wharf beach in Leigh-on-Sea, Essex.

Participants are encouraged to donate to local charities rather than pay a fee but the 35-year-old said she would now also be required to complete extensive paperwork.

Southend-on-Sea City Council said it required organisers of public activities to follow formal application processes to ensure safety and proper use of public spaces.

Beard told the BBC she had been asked to complete around 30 pages of documentation and provide multiple safeguards before she could be granted permission.

"I needed an event application form, a risk assessment and public liability insurance," she said.

"I also needed a first aider on site, an event management plan and then I had to pay a fee of £85 per week, plus an additional admin charge."

She added: "I can't afford £85 a week for a free class."

The executive assistant from Leigh-on-Sea has asked the council for a detailed breakdown of the proposed costs but said she had not received a response.

She described the requirements as "wildly extreme" and said the council had told her it was "trying to clamp down on things like this".

"I don't really understand what that means," she said.

Beard hopes a resolution can be reached to allow the classes to continue.

Regular attendee Terri Dent, from Rayleigh, said the sessions boosted her physical and mental health.

"It's such a welcoming environment," said the 46-year-old, who is a beauty therapist. "There's no pressure and no cost which makes a huge difference."

She continued: "It seems really unfair. Something that's clearly benefiting so many people is being put at risk because of charges. It just doesn't feel right."

Sophie Glasson, 32, from Leigh-on-Sea, found the sessions welcoming and less intimidating than going to a gym.

Glasson, who works in risk management, continued: "It's a shame because it's exactly the kind of thing communities need more of, not less."

Labour councillor Matt Dent, cabinet member for business, culture, music and tourism, said the council supported community activities but had a duty to ensure larger events were "safe and properly managed".

The council was willing to work with organisers, he explained, and would welcome further discussion about the concerns raised.

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