英格兰和威尔士的地方议会因对社区免费或捐赠制室外健身课程征收过高许可证费用而受到指责1。根据《日常生活自由运动》发布的报告《被赶出海滩：对室外社区运动的打击》，19个议会实施的许可证计划原本面向商业培训师，但已扩展至小型社区活动，收费从100英镑至1,200英镑不等1。这些费用导致众多瑜伽、合唱和气功教练停止了课程1。
具体案例显示费用与课程实际运营情况严重脱节。肯特郡Thanet议会最初要求Angela Brier-Stephenson缴纳1,200英镑年费，后来降至300英镑，她因此停止了长达2年的课程1。布里斯托尔的Julia Turner被要求为每节8英镑的BYOB合唱课缴纳100英镑费用1，而同市的Chloe Broomby则因费用问题停止了捐赠制气功课程，有些周的参课人数仅为7人1。斯旺西市最初提议对Helen Wilson按24.15英镑/课时收费，后在公众抗议后撤回1。伦敦Richmond城市自治区更是将未经许可的室外运动课程定为犯罪行为1。
《日常生活自由运动》的Josie Appleton批评称："这些费用与这些课程能赚到的钱毫无关系，通常远超运营成本"1。虽然地方议会辩称费用用于确保安全和维护公共空间，但批评者指责这些收费标准与社区活动的微薄收入不相符1。
Local authorities across England and Wales are being criticized for charging excessive licensing fees to community instructors running free or donation-based outdoor fitness classes.1 According to a report titled "Driven Off the Beach: An Attack on Outdoor Community Sport," nineteen councils have implemented licensing schemes originally designed for commercial trainers but now extended to small community activities, with fees ranging from £100 to £1,200 annually.1 The charges have prompted many yoga, choir, and qigong instructors to cease their programs, despite minimal commercial revenue from these community-focused sessions.1
The cases illustrate the financial burden imposed by these schemes. Angela Brier-Stephenson from Thanet was initially required to pay £1,200 annually, later reduced to £300, before she stopped running her two-year-old classes.1 Julia Turner in Bristol was asked to pay £100 to operate a donation-based choir class that charged participants £8 per session.1 Similarly, Chloe Broomby in Bristol discontinued her donation-funded qigong classes after facing licensing costs, despite some weeks attracting only seven participants.1 In Swansea, Helen Wilson was initially quoted a fee of £24.15 per class session before the council withdrew the demand following public backlash.1
Councils defend the fees as necessary to ensure public safety and maintain green spaces, yet critics argue the charges bear no relation to the actual revenue these programs generate.1 Josie Appleton stated that "these fees have nothing to do with the money these courses can make, and usually far exceed running costs."1 Richmond upon Thames has taken an even stricter approach, classifying unlicensed outdoor sports classes as a criminal matter.1
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