CHARD residents could buy the town’s swimming pool for £1 if the county council accepts they have a good enough business case to run it.

On July 11, Somerset County Council announced plans to close the Cresta leisure centre, in Zembard Lane, in September, arguing it could no longer afford to maintain the facilities.

The council said that it was willing to look at “any  realistic community-led proposals” which could keep the facility open after the school summer holidays were over.

And last night (August 9), more than 100 residents turned out to a public meeting at St Mary’s Church, Chard, to discuss the issue.

They voted unanimously that they would try to save the pool through fundraising and volunteering – and to keep it open even if the district council can provide the town with a new one in the future.

Chard county councillor Amanda Broom began by updating residents on a meeting she had held with the council on Monday (August 6) to discuss the prospect of the community taking over the running of the pool.

The council said: “We have welcomed the suggestion [of the community taking over the pool] and are willing to provide some time to enable an expression of interest to be submitted, a business plan to be developed, and to enable the community to establish a legal entity to which the asset can be transferred.

“Timelines for the next steps were discussed and agreed, and we look forward to receiving an expression of interest from the community by August 31.”

Ms Broom said that if the expression of interest was submitted, the council had committed to selling the pool to the community for £1, and would transfer the facility to the community on September 4.

A business plan for running the pool would have to be submitted by September 14.

If the facility was “mothballed”, the pool would be emptied and the pumps would be switched off – incurring an extra cost to the community if they were able to reopen it.

Cllr Broom added: “User numbers have been established, and these are being drawn into a business plan. This will need to be verified by the council to show that the pool can be supported by the community.

“If Chard wants to keep the pool operational, there is absolutely no reason (that is known) why this cannot be a reality. But money will need to be raised and volunteers found who will be committed to seeing this happen.

“Although it is challenging, it is possible.”

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The county council has said that it intends to take a decision on the pool’s future on August 29, the wording of which would reflect the possibility of a community solution coming forward.

However, this decision –  which would be taken by the relevant portfolio holders – would also commit to the “permanent decommissioning” of the pool in January if the business plan was not deemed to be viable.

Councillor Frances Nicholson, the cabinet member for children and families, was unable to attend the meeting in person, but said that an impact assessment would be done to see what capacity was available at Crewkerne, Axminster and other pools in the area.

The council estimates that it would cost £750,000 to carry out “the most necessary works” on the pool – a figure which Ms Broom said would be verified by an independent expert.

Hannah Williams, who has worked at the pool for 15 years, said: “The figures are for a whole-scale refurbishment – don’t be scared by that.”

Mayor of Chard Garry Shortland said that he would ask Chard Town Council to give £10,000 towards the fundraising effort.

He added: “I have looked at the 2015 report that the county council commissioned on the pool – it didn’t seem that drastic. A stain on the floor, a little bit of corrosion – if the community can provide time and businesses can provide materials, then I think we can go.”

Clare Brun, a teacher at Avishayes Primary School, said that the school had recently booked ten weeks of lessons at the Flamingo Pool in Axminster – the most that it could afford on its current budget.

With this level of provision, she was not confident that all her pupils would be able to swim 25 metres by the end of year 6, as demanded under the national curriculum.

She added: “This pool is such a community facility that the children all use, and we’re certainly happy to contribute to this.”

Dr Matt Reed, chairman of governors at Manor Court Primary School, also offered his support for the fundraising.

He said: “Swimming is just great fun, and it just gives you access to so much of life.

“We will be asking parents to make contributions. Keeping our pool in Chard going continuously is going to be our prime goal.

“This pool was founded and built by volunteers. We handed it over to the state and a charity, and now we’re having to take it back.”

Support was also offered by representatives by Fiona Bowen, secretary of the Somerset Amateur Swimming Association, and Mary Pomfret from the Chard Improvement Action Group.

Ms Broom said that community-run pools could be successful, citing the example of Burnham-on-Sea Sports and Swim Academy, which was saved from being axed by Sedgemoor District Council in 2008.

She said: “They have not only kept it going, they are now the go-to place to go swimming in Burnham.” 

John Phillips, who is putting together the business case, said that the Somerset Community Foundation would provide the community with free legal advice and that lottery funding may be available. 

South Somerset District Council has pledged to provide Chard with a new swimming pool and leisure centre “within two years” as part of its ambitious plans to regenerate the town centre.

Ms Broom said that there was an argument for retaining the current pool even if a new one was built, in light of the large amount of housing development which the town is expected to see in the coming years.

After an hour of discussion, the residents voted unanimously in favour of saving the pool and queued up to put their names down to help out with fundraising, volunteering or offering expertise.

Chard Town Council will meet to discuss a proposal to grant £10,000 towards the pool on August 20.