CHELMSFORD Council has moved a step closer to introducing a leisure card scheme.

Councillors at the cabinet meeting on Tuesday agreed to give a further £77,000 to the project to enable it to be in operation early next year.

Residents are being asked to come up with a name for the new card.

Ray Ride, the council’s cabinet member for leisure and culture, told the meeting: “The benefits from such a card are significant. It will generate additional income for the council and savings will be made on queues at the leisure centres.”

The council has already agreed a figure of £26,000 for the initial start-up costs.

The council gets 1.37million visits to its four leisure centres each year.

Customers with the card will be able to make 24-7 bookings online as well as receive discounts from the council.

Customers without the card will be charged a higher price for services.

The final plan will be reported to a cabinet meeting in the autumn.