NHS give threatened Hull pool 'breathing space' reprieve

Hull City Council said it now had more time to look at the future of leisure facilities

A swimming pool which had been due to close next year has been given a temporary reprieve by the NHS.

Hull City Council had planned to shut the Ennerdale Leisure Centre pool next April as part of efforts to save £80m by 2015.

More than 6,000 people signed petitions opposing the closure.

The NHS Hull Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) has given £291,000 to keep the pool open until April 2015, but said there would be no further funding.

Dr Dan Roper, the CCG's interim chairman, said the money would give the council "breathing space" to consider the future of the pool.

"The CCG and GPs have been saying for a long time that physical activity, social interaction and organised activities are good for people's mental, physical and social health.

"I have said to the council that we can't do this on a long-term basis, but we can do it over a period of a year until it becomes clearer what the picture is moving forward."

Council leader Steve Brady said the funding would give the authority more time to look at how it can best provide leisure facilities with the money it has been given by central government.