FAREHAM Leisure Centre swimming pool needs to be closed for at least four months to test the condition of the baths' tanks.

The 23-year-old council-owned centre is wearing out and needs extensive work costing £92,000 within six months and £2.7m in the next five years, leisure committee councillors were told at a meeting on Tuesday night.

Among the jobs needing doing urgently are replacing the flat roof, tiling of the pools and checks for leaks in the pool. Core sampling of the pool costs £150,000 and the closure would cost £40,000 per month in lost revenue.

Councillor Leslie Keeble said although the catalogue of problems with the centre looked daunting, he toured the site with the managers and it was in a remarkable condition for its age and there was nothing disastrous for users to worry about.

Councillor Joan Eastman said she hoped the leisure centre would not lose out to any private health and fitness gyms due to be built in the planned Market Quay shopping and leisure complex, due to open next year.

Councillors agreed to ask the policy and resources committee to approve £92,000 for the re-roofing and pool checks and other remedial works.

Officers were asked to provide a report on options for financing the £2.7m works.