Decision on new Kettering swimming pool could be made next year

The state of the current pool in London Road has come under heavy criticism and some feel the town has been left behind after new pools were built in Corby, Wellingborough and Thrapston.

Councillors pledged to look into the possibility of building a new pool last year and now a special group has been set up to look at the options available.

The group will visit other pools and take evidence from local groups and schools between July and September this year.

They will consider all of the information collected in December and then report back to the research and development committee in January 2018.

A report with recommendations will then be made to the executive committee - the council’s ruling group and decision-makers - by March 2018.

As part of the research, the group will seek evidence from swimming pool users, swimming clubs, operators and owners as to:

- the desirable features of a swimming facility and associated leisure offers

- issues of location, price, accessibility, demand and provision which would help determine decisions about an investment in new or improved facilities

- experience of, and options in place for, financing the provision and management of facilities

The council also says it will look to create a questionnaire to gain the views and opinions of people in the borough.

Nobody, at this stage, knows how much it could cost the taxpayer.

Corby’s international swimming pool cost about £20m.