Councils across the country marked the countdown to the 2012 Olympic Games with a host of events. Barking and Dagenham LBC turned its town square into a beach volleyball pitch to celebrate the games being just three years away – and encourage young people to get involved in sport. But questions over the local legacy of the 2012 Olympics were raised, focusing on the level of public participation in sport – a key commitment made in Britain's bid to host the Games. Cllr Chris White, chair of the LGA's culture, sport and tourism board, said: ‘The free swimming programme was heralded as an Olympic legacy but the Government has so far only committed to funding it until 2011. ‘It's widely accepted that public spending is facing tough times over the next 10 years or so, and difficult decisions will have to be made about how taxpayers' money is used.'
