THE FUTURE of a popular paddling pool looks set to have been secured after Kidderminster Town Council vowed to get it open as soon as possible.

At a meeting last night (Thursday May 23) councillors passed a motion pledging to raise £100k needed to repair the pool at St George's Park and reopen it to the public.

The motion stated that once the pool has been reopened it should operate from May to September - the same period as Stourport Paddling Pool and Brinton Park Splash Pad.

It also stated that the council will work with an external funding consultant, the community and businesses to raise the £100k for repairs - with more money needed on top of that for operational costs.

The motion states that: "The Operational Services Committee, at its meeting on 5th June 2024, will set up a working group featuring members of the Save Our Paddling Pool campaign to make recommendations regarding this matter.

"St. George's Paddling Pool should be a standing item on the Full Council Agenda until this is resolved."

Labour councillors released a statement after the meeting welcoming the passing of the motion.

The statement said: "We are proud to be part of last night's Kidderminster Town Council decision to fight hard to keep St. George’s Park Paddling Pool open.

"We would like to thank the ‘Save the St. George’s Park Paddling Pool' group for their hard work in achieving more than 2,000 signatures for the petition they presented.

"This shows loud and clear about how important this is to the residents of Kidderminster.

"Labour began the campaign when Sarah Rook set up the petition in 2020, and we are proud to continue the fight."

Cllr Liam Carroll, leader of Kidderminster Labour Group, said: "This issue has continuously been kicked down the road and it is great to see Kidderminster Town Council voting tonight to make it a top priority for the new council."

Cllr John Beckingham, deputy leader of Kidderminster Labour Group, said: "It's fantastic to see St. George’s Park Paddling Pool receiving the attention it deserves, reflecting the community's strong support."

Cllr Carroll said it would be "a push" to get the paddling pool open by 2025.