COUNCILLORS are being asked to stump up thousands of pounds more for a Dales pool so local people do not have to travel to swim.

Harrogate Borough Council has been working with Nidderdale residents and Sport England to build a pool on the Nidderdale High School campus at Pateley Bridge, where there is already community use of a sports centre.

Since the first cost estimate 18 months ago, the projected bill has gone up by £570,000 to £1.75m. Residents are within a few thousand pounds of reaching their appeal target of £200,000 and the Sports Lottery Fund is expected to award the pool a big grant.

But council officials have highlighted a shortfall in funding which will mean the council taxpayers' contribution going up from the estimate of £280,000 to £635,000.

Building the pool - which was first mooted in 1998 - will mean local people no longer having to travel to Harrogate or Ripon to use council swimming facilities. Leisure director Kevin Douglas said if the council ruled out any more cash it would mean no Lottery grant and the scheme would have to be scrapped.

He said the extra money was needed to meet Sport England demands for a bigger building with more room for changing and for spectators.

But finance director John Sowden is warning of the dangers of giving the go-ahead unless councillors are prepared to seek substantial tax rises. The council's cabinet will decide the issue on March 3 - four days before the deadline for a Lottery grant submission.