CONCERNS a Canvey swimming pool could be scrapped have been raised because of the cost of maintaining the beleaguered facility.

Castle Point Council has delayed a maintenance programme at Waterside Farm Leisure Centre, in Somnes Avenue, because problems with the ageing sports centre may be worse than initially feared.

Canvey councillor Grace Watson now believes the authority is considering scrapping the sports centre’s pool in a bid to save money.

Mrs Watson, a member of a special policy development group looking into refurbishing the building, said the possibility was mentioned during a fact-finding mission at the leisure centre on Monday.

Next month, the council is set to reopen Thundersley’s Runnymede Pool following an £800,000 refurbishment and Mrs Watson believes it may become the only public pool in the borough.

She said: “One of the Tory councillors said because of the cost of maintaining Waterside, maybe it should be a dry gym and let swimmers go to Runnymede instead.

“I got the impression the council is seriously considering the possibility of closing Waterside.

“I understand where the council is coming from in terms of cost, but we do need a pool on Canvey where people can learn to swim – it is an island after all.”

The council delayed a £1.5million refurbishment of the leisure centre after a review found the total cost of improvements would be between £2.5million and £3million over the next five years.

These include fixing the pool’s heating system, relining the pool and improving the changing rooms.

This could be difficult for the cash-strapped authority, which has had to deal with a £1.9million reduction in its Government grant over the next two years, while further reductions are possible in the years after that.

Peter Burch, Castle Point councillor for leisure, said all options were on the table at Waterside, but the council was not planning to shut the pool.

He said: “It’s basically up to the policy development group to decide.

“There are no instructions from officers to close the pool, but it’s up for the group to decide what work is in the best interest of the people of Canvey.”