At a cabinet meeting last night (Tuesday), Aylesbury Vale district councillors were set to discuss the Faulkner Brown Feasibilty Study which includes possible renovations which could also involve a second flume being added to the swimming pool.

Other than essential maintenance and repairs, only limited service developments have taken place at Aqua Vale since it was opened in September 2001.

Usage levels at Aqua Vale and Swan Pool have fallen, in total, by 101,000 between 2003/4 and 2006/7 following the opening of Cannons and the completion of a multi-million pound redevelopment of the Guttmann centre.

David Thompson, cabinet member for leisure, said: "I personally believe that we do need to do something. There has been no major investment in Aqua Vale since it was opened.

"We should always been thinking of ways to increase the number of people using the facilities and encouraging new people to use the facilities.

"The main drop in numbers has come from the dry side. One of the main reasons is people feel the changing rooms are inadequate. We also want to change the fitness centre and make it better for users by improving the entrances and having a new cafeteria.

"With all the new housing growth due to take place in Aylesbury there will be more demand for leisure and fitness facilities and we want to meet that demand," he added.

The feasibility study was initially carried out to improve the financial performance and usage levels of the sites over the next couple of years so that the council does not incur a significantly higher subsidy payment from March 2012 onwards.

Another one of the main reasons was also to make Aqua Vale more energy efficient as energy costs have increased from £99,332 to £261,412 in 2006.

Budgetary allowance for all the proposed improvements at Aqua Vale will be presented in full to the council in April 2008. It is estimated that the cost of the works could be reduced by £290,000 if they were taken all in one go.

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