Children across the West will today dive into the choppy waters of the postcode lottery as they find out whether they are among the few who will benefit from free swimming.

A row erupted last night over the Government's pledge of free swimming for under-16s, originally announced in Bath last year, and intended to boost the nation's Olympic hopes in 2012 and future competitions. Last summer, Gordon Brown and Culture Secretary Andy Burnham pledged to "get Britain swimming" by the time the Games arrived in London.

They agreed to splash out £140 million to scrap swimming fees at all municipal pools within four years in an effort to get children in pools, with free sessions initially provided for under-16s and over-60s from April 2009.

But now councils in the West have been criticised for not allowing children to swim for free, and allowing free swimming only for those aged 60 and over.

But they have hit back, accusing ministers of spin and claiming the Government did not provide enough money to pay for the scheme. Bath & North East Somerset, Swindon, South Gloucestershire and North Somerset have been named as the West unitary authorities snubbing free swimming for children. Cotswold, Stroud, Tewkesbury, Sedgemoor, South Somerset and North Devon are the district councils included on the list.

Labour ministers contrast them with councils such as Bristol, Gloucester, Herefordshire, Salisbury, West Wiltshire and Taunton Deane, which are offering free swimming both to pensioners and school pupils.

And they point the finger at other local authorities saying they have "chosen not to participate in the Government's Free Swimming Programme".

Councils not giving free swimming to pensioners or children include Cheltenham, Forest of Dean, Mendip, West Somerset, Weymouth & Portland, East Dorset and Bournemouth, according to the Government.

Stephen Petherick, commercial manager of leisure@cheltenham said the free scheme was not compulsory, and they were not taking part because of its "lack of sustainability".

He said they already offered free swimming to under-16s accompanied by a paying adult, and there were a range of activities for older people, with some at no charge, and others at £2 or £3.

Labour South Swindon MP Anne Snelgrove has attacked the town's Conservative council saying it seemed "to go to any length to avoid working with the Government – including turning down money for local young people to swim for free".

"They should be ashamed that the investment in local services will be going elsewhere."

She said the council was offered £95,524 for the under-16s, as well as £48,548 for the over-60s, adding that all eligible Labour authorities had signed up.

Councillor Nick Martin, Swindon Council's cabinet member for recreation and leisure, told the Western Daily Press that the offer for the under-16s was then increased to £108,000. But he said that did not "scratch the surface" for a council with facilities such as the Oasis, a big leisure pool attracting huge numbers of youngsters which brought in £200,000 a year on its own. They would have had to increase council tax to make up for the loss of income, he said.

Bristol City Council estimates up to 80,000 people and children will be eligible for free use of its six pools, with Cllr Rosalie Walker saying: "Offering free swimming is a real measure of our commitment to making a real difference to people's lives."

The national £140-million scheme was formally launched yesterday by top swimmers Mark Foster, who used to compete and train at the University of Bath and Jo Jackson, and Culture, Media and Sport Secretary Andy Burnham.

The Government says 80 per cent of councils will provide free swimming to pensioners, and more than 200 are offering it to young people.

Mr Burnham said it was a landmark moment in their efforts to build a healthier and more active nation.

He said: "This scheme has caught the mood of the times – it will help young and old keep active and save cash."

But critics in the West have pointed out that free swimming for pensioners in Wales was brought in years ago, while school children can also take the plunge for no charge in the holidays.