Silsden's parish council is to take over Hothfield school's swimming pool, saving it from closure.

After months of discussions over the council's various take-over and funding options the school's governors agreed on Wednesday night to pass the pool to the parish council.

Their decision came after inspecting a business plan put together by the council's pool committee consisting of Councillors Jakki Birtwistle, who teaches swimming lessons at the pool, council vice chairman Cllr Lawrence Walton, council clerk Joanne Conway (pictured) and concerned resident Pauleen Soper.

Speaking yesterday Mrs Conway said: "The governors were extremely supportive of the council's bid and have in principle agreed to give us the pool. It's fantastic news."

The governors have also given the council a loan of money already allocated to the pool, said to be around £3,000, which will be used to purchase urgently needed equipment, essential to keep the pool in working order.

Jamesine Welch, the school's head teacher, who leaves the school in October, says: The governing body of Hothfield school are delighted to announce, subject to legal clarification, that they have invited the Silsden parish council to take over the running of the swimming pool.

"Fund raising for the project has already begun and the school is supporting the fund raising with the remaining pool funds from the school's budget."

Other than ironing out a number of technicalities the only remaining hurdle the parish council face is to get authorisation from Bradford council.

Cllr Lawrence Walton says he is delighted.

He adds: "Now we can move forward and make it run commercially. We need to keep on raising money and spend it where it's needed. The first thing we need to do is sort out the chlorination plant which will cut the overheads."

Recently described by a Silsden man as "a matter of life and death" the future of the pool has been high on the council's agenda over recent months as councillors fought to save it.

The pool was opened in the 1970s after a long campaign spearheaded by the late Stanley Bell, former head teacher of the then Hothfield Street school, to improve the safety of the town's children.

The people of Silsden raised funds for the building of the pool and were also involved in the construction work.