TWO feuding swimming clubs have reached a compromise over their use of Southend’s public pools.

Southend Swimming Club and the Borough of Southend Swimming Club have come up with a plan to share the pools at Garon Park in Southend and Leigh’s Belfairs Swim Centre.

But they will not merge into one single club, as was originally recommended by Southend Council.

The deal marks the end of a three-year conflict, which almost culminated in the council banning both clubs from all of its swimming pools.

A spokesman for both clubs said they had finally managed to settle their differences.

“Both club chairs, through their elected committees, are committed to working together to develop effective communication between the clubs to deliver the best swimming opportunities in Southend,” he said.

“This agreement clearly demonstrates that both clubs have the best interests of swimmers and swimming in Southend as their priority.”

The row was sparked by a council review of its swimming facilities in 2008, which called for the two clubs to be merged to guarantee pool time for all their members.

The two clubs were supposed to have started operating as one club at the opening of the new Garon Park facility in November 2010.

But Southend Swimming Club members held a protest on the opening day and refused to get in the pool with their Borough of Southend Swimming Club counterparts.

Last year the council gave them three months to merge – and set a deadline of October 1 – or face being banned from both pools and replaced with a new club, formed by the council.

And that ultimatum has encouraged the clubs to return to the negotiating table and come up with an agreement for the fair division of their allocated swimming times.

That deal is expected to be rubber-stamped at a council meeting today.

Nick Harris, the council’s lead member for culture, said: “Both clubs have clearly demonstrated their commitment to work together and deliver on their aspirations, thereby removing the requirement of a one-club option for Southend.”