SMALL business leaders have raised concerns about plans by councils to charge fitness groups for holding workout sessions in public parks.

The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) in Scotland said that such a move could discourage small groups which are often self-funded from helping people to get fit.

It comes after the Herald revealed that three local authorities – East Renfrewshire, East Lothian and North Lanarkshire – have asked commercial groups holding exercise classes in parks to apply and pay for a permit. Others are said to be considering a similar policy.

But Stuart Mackinnon, Senior Public Affairs Advisor for the FSB, warned that councils should think hard about the activities they want to license.

He said: "There's a wider issue about businesses and voluntary groups using public spaces like parks. Do our councils want to license these activities to raise revenue or to improve standards?

"If dog walkers and fitness instructors need a license, should artists teaching a painting class? If the activity is doing no harm to the public space, and encourages people to use these areas, you might want to ask if additional regulation is necessary at all. How would you police a scheme designed to improve standards?"

Councils which have a policy of charging said it helped to ensure that class leaders were properly trained and had public liability insurance, as well as controlling the numbers of people using the parks in this way.

The FSB called on councils to take a unified approach to licensing exercise groups and look for a Scotland-wide solution to the issue.