A BID for £1million of lottery funding could help Hadleigh's hopes for a better swimming centre, it was announced today.

A BID for £1million of lottery funding could help Hadleigh's hopes for a better swimming centre, it was announced today.

Babergh District Council and Hadleigh Town Council, which have previously been at loggerheads over the issue, have agreed to apply for a £1million grant to help the town's pool's survival.

The possible cash injection could come from the government's community assets programme, administered by the Lottery.

The scheme provides funding for refurbishment of local authority buildings if they are transferred to voluntary-sector ownership.

Speaking to Hadleigh Town Council last night Tim Mutum, Babergh's project leader, said: “From Babergh's perspective this is the first real opportunity to potentially draw in money that could help the pool.

“The money could provide for additional leisure facilities on the site as well as refurbishment of the pool."

He said if the bid for the bid was successful, Babergh would also pump between £1m and £1.5m into the refurbishment.

Members of Hadleigh Town Council unanimously decided to back the application for funds which would see the pool run by the South Suffolk Leisure Trust.

However the possible cash boost could still be ruled out if the study into the current pool's long-term feasibility, which is taking place next week, reports the pool's tank has a short lifespan.

Babergh councillors have previously virtually ruled out building a new pool in the town because of spiralling costs attached to the new-build project.

Babergh now has until November 15 to submit its application for a grant of £1m, the maximum available for each project from a total pot of £30m.

Would you be happy to see the current pool refurbished? Write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN, or e-mail eveningstarletters@eveningstar.co.uk