HUNDREDS of thousands of pounds are to be spent on repairs to two Ipswich swimming pools over the next five years.But the borough council cannot spend anything on Broomhill Pool unless it gets help from outside bodies.

HUNDREDS of thousands of pounds are to be spent on repairs to two Ipswich swimming pools over the next five years.

But the borough council cannot spend anything on Broomhill Pool unless it gets help from outside bodies.

Repair and maintenance of Crown Pools and Fore Street baths will cost more than £700,000 over the next five years and that work is set to go ahead.

Council officers are to going to try to find money from business or the lottery to rebuild Broomhill at a cost of almost £3 million but the borough's executive committee will be told next week that it doesn't have enough money to carry out the work itself.

"It is considered that some form of partnership approach may offer the most appropriate way forward to try and secure the pool's long term future.

"However the future of Broomhill needs to be resolved as quickly as possible and the matter must not be forgotten," the report says.

The council does hope to be able to pay for a new leisure slide and changing rooms at Crown Pools.

But the money – estimated at £700,000 – is not available at present and would only go ahead if extra money is made available.

The executive committee will be urged to drop plans to develop a new diving and training pool at Crown Pools.

The Heritage Lottery Fund has told the council that an application for grant-aid for the Broomhill could be considered.

However it has warned that the cost of the proposed works could be a stumbling block.

"The likely grant request of up to £3 million would require HLF to look carefully at the value for money presented by the case. In addition we would nee to be persuaded by the local interest that there is demand and support for this facility," the lottery warned.