POTENTIALLY crucial funds for Chard's Cresta Swimming Pool cannot be pledged because of the county council's refusal to co-operate.

That is according to the former head of South Somerset District Council, who discussed the facility's future at their area west committee on Wednesday evening (September 19).

Councillor Ric Pallister, who stepped down as the leader of SSDC earlier this year, expressed his disappointment towards the county council’s behaviour, claiming that he had been waiting for two months for a breakdown of the necessary repairs identified by its engineers.

He said: “I think the response of county is hugely disappointing.

"To deny access almost predicates on the fact that ‘we’re going to close it whatever you do’ – which is not what was said at the meeting we had.”

Councillor Val Keitch – who recently replaced Mr Pallister as district council leader – said that she had received an underwhelming response from county council leader David Fothergill at a recent meeting.

She said: “I got a shake of a head and a very blank look. In my view that says it all.

“I would say it’s disgusting what happened, and I suspect the decision may have already been made. I don’t think the left hand knows what the right hand’s doing down there.”

The district council intends to provide Chard with a new leisure centre and swimming pool as part of its plans to regenerate the town.

Mr Pallister said that it was not possible for the district council to contribute any funding towards the Kingfisher effort because of ongoing uncertainty about the pool’s viability.

He said: “Without the active co-operation of the county council, the answer is: we can do nothing. It is not our facility.”

The Kingfisher Community Group, a team of volunteers formed to try and take over the pool before it shuts, has peeviously his out at the county council's inaction.

In an open letter, Cllr Amanda Broom, who sits on the Kingfisher core group, said: "

“Unfortunately, it’s difficult to express how disappointed we are with the answers and the worrying perception that SCC have absolutely no idea of the running costs of their property.

“We are now of an increasing perception that SCC are not taking our initiative seriously due to demands being placed on us that would not normally be placed on other businesses or organisations."

Somerset County Council say the pool has outlived its planned lifespan by more than a decade and now needs more than £1m of investment to replace failing equipment and to bring it up to standard.

Facing significant financial pressures, the council says it is not in a position to fund this work, and highlights that regeneration plans for Chard launched recently by South Somerset District Council include a pool as part of leisure facilities.

A spokesman for Somerset County Council said: “We have agreed to pay the mothballing costs for the pool.

“The group has asked for some additional actions - regular inspection of the pool and that we keep the pumps running - and those are the costs that the group would be asked to contribute to.

“We appreciate efforts being made to find a community solution - we have significant and well-documented pressures on our finances and would welcome any situation where communities can step forward and provide what the council can no longer afford.

“We had a constructive meeting last month and officers provided all readily available the information and guidance.

“We look forward to seeing the group’s business case.”