THE decision to close Minehead's Aquasplash swimming pool for good is set to be taken by councillors next Wednesday evening. The pool and gym have been closed since the beginning of October after a 2,000-gallons-a-week leak was discovered. And it now looks unlikely to re-open as councillors battle to balance West Somerset Council's overspent books. The leak is being blamed on the failure of a "glued joint" which could cost as little as £5,000 to fix. But rather than carry out the repair, members of the council's cabinet will be asked on Wednesday to keep both the pool and gym permanently closed, effectively netting the authority an annual £220,000 saving on the cost of keeping the facility open. Staff would either be redeployed within the council or laid off, while the facility would be mothballed until the site is sold to part-fund a replacement pool in the planned New Horizons 'healthplex' scheme. Also on Wednesday's agenda is a confidential item to agree a deal on the New Horizons scheme, which should provide a replacement pool for the district. The deal would also mean councillors could meet a commitment made in August 2005 to keep Aquasplash open until New Horizons is "signed and sealed". But in reality, the decision could leave West Somerset residents without a community pool for up to two years, although the council maintains there are a number of other pools in the area, as well as a gym at the West Somerset Sports and Leisure Centre. Corporate director Adrian Dyer will tell cabinet members that every household in West Somerset has been subsidising Aquasplash to the tune of £15.60 a year and the facility has become "a significant draw" on council finances. He will tell the meeting that although it could cost as little as £5,000 to repair the leaking skimmer pipe, it could equally be as much as £15,000 as major excavations could be needed to pinpoint the precise source. The fabric of the building remains sound and the pool itself has not been affected by "minor structural movement" which has occurred in one corner of the facility. But it is the massive budget shortfall facing the council and the need to cut "all non-essential" services that looks likely to force the closure of the trouble-hit pool and gym. In a report to the cabinet, Mr Dyer warns: "It is known with some certainty that there will be a substantial overall overspend on the revenue account this year. "This coupled with overspends on the revenue account in previous years and the potential for Aquasplash to be a continual draw on the council's financial resources has necessitated a recommendation that, in order to improve the capacity to set a balanced budget, the facility is closed permanently." The pool has cost the authority around £245,000 a year to run, while £183,474 of investment had been spent on the facility in the last six years. As revealed in the Free Press last week, the council is being ordered to trim back spending on all non statutory services - such as Aquasplash - to try and bridge a massive hole in its budget. Council leader Cllr Keith Ross said the overspend was below £1 million but still considerably higher than previous estimates of around the £170,000 mark. Mr Dyer will tell cabinet members: "The fabric of the building has deteriorated markedly in recent years and significant investment is now required on items such as internal floor and wall tiling, lockers and doors, all of which contribute to a 'tired' appearance. "For a number of years the annual net running costs associated with the facility have been a significant draw on the council's finances. "It is suggested that should the decision be taken to permanently close the facility as recommended, then the emphasis should be on the utilisation of the equipment at Aquasplash to the benefit of the community."