THE long-term future of Berkeley swimming pool has been secured thanks to a new agreement allowing local residents to run the facility.

Gloucestershire County Council announced this week that it plans to give Berkeley residents a 25 year lease on the pool at a nominal rent.

However members of the residents committee who will eventually take responsibility for the pool say although the lease is good news, it is full of tricky conditions.

Shona Darley, chairwoman of the residents committee, said: "It is good news that we have been given the lease but we have lots of hurdles to jump over first.

"The council is asking us to arrange our own access to the pool, to take full liability for the pool including paying for all the insurance and lots of other things."

Shona, a mother-of-two, said that she is confident they will be able to get the pool open again next year, but that it is going to take a lot of hard work.

"All of us in the committee are happy to take it on again, it is just going to mean a few months of negotiations and work on the legal side of things before we can actually get going with opening the pool."

Only a few years ago the same committee of residents ran the Berkeley swimming pool, which is used for children in the town during and after school hours.

However last September head teacher at Berkeley Primary School Francis Lark decided that the governors should take over control of the facility, which was built by Berkeley residents over 45 years ago.

However by April this year parents had noticed that no preparations had been made to open the outdoor pool for the summer season and feared the worst.

After a long campaign, supported by the Gazette, the school and governors agreed to keep the pool open and for the parent committee to take back control.

The county council has now offered the residents group the lease on certain terms and conditions.

Cllr Ray Theodoulou, cabinet member for resources, said: "This pool is important to the local community and we are keen to support local residents in their aim to run and maintain it for everyone’s use."

If the pool is to be reopened the committee will need more local volunteers to help and more donations to pay for extra construction work. If you would like to get in contact with Shona and the team email the Gazette on reporters@dursleygazette.co.uk