RUNCORN Swimming Pool could closed as part of cost-saving measures being considered by Halton Borough Council.

A report to the authority’s ruling executive board outlined a number of measures aimed at reducing spending over the coming year.

One measure being planned is closing the pool on Bridge Street in Runcorn Town Centre, which the report said would save the council £120,000 in the next financial year.

The report said: “It is proposed to close Runcorn Swimming Pool due to the high running costs and low levels of usage, which results in high levels of subsidy cost per user visit.

“Runcorn Swimming Pool was used to 43 per cent of its capacity in the last independent review (2018) compared to 60 per cent for Kingsway Leisure Centre swimming pool, and 100 per cent for Brookvale Recreation Centre swimming pool.”

The report said that pre-pandemic in the year 2018-19, the pool cost £467,261 to run and brought in £133,850, which meant it had to be subsidised to the tune of £333,411.

The report said that for the same year, there were around 10 people an hour using the pool, compared to 40 at Brookvale and 45 at Kingsway.

It added: “The figures are clearly affected by Covid-19 particularly during 2020/21, therefore, the 2018/19 figures reflect a normal year’s operations.

“The swimming usage per hour at both Kingsway Leisure Centre and Brookvale Recreation Centre is considerably higher than at Runcorn Swimming Pool and this reflects upon the net cost / subsidy per user visit.”

The plans are due to be discussed by the executive board at a meeting next Thursday, February 17, final approval would have to then be granted at a meeting of Full Council on March 2.