A PARISH poll may be held to ask Dartmouth people if they would be happy to pay more council tax to save the town's under threat indoor swimming pool.

Former mayor Cllr Richard Rendle believes increasing the town precept – with the blessing of local residents – might be a way forward to bring the £2m pool project back from the brink of collapse.

But the town council wants to know more from the pool trustees about what future financial support they may be seeking before further funding is considered.

And some town councilors don't believe anything more should be done at this stage unless they are asked for more money.

The council has pledged £150,000 towards the indoor pool project and agreed to give £10,000 a year for 10 years if the pool needs help towards running costs. But Cllr Rendle if said the council offered to raise taxes towards the pool, it might relieve pressures and help secure the longevity and sustainability of the project.

South Hams Council has refused to release promised vital funds of £400,000 for the indoor pool unless guarantees can be given it forms part of its leisure review in terms of user numbers and econom­ies of scale for operating costs.

For more on this story, see this week's Dartmouth Chronicle