SWIMMING pools in Frome and Shepton Mallet are among venues to benefit from new funding in Somerset.

Somerset Council has been awarded £211,208 from the government’s Swimming Pool Support Fund, which will be divided across five locations in the county.

The money will go to Frome Leisure Centre, Shepton Mallet Lido, Wells Leisure Centre, Brean Splash and Burnham-on-Sea Swim and Sports Academy.

The funding is designed to help swimming pool operators with the increased costs of utility bills and swimming pool chemicals.

Cllr Federica Smith-Roberts said: “We are delighted to have received funding from Phase 1 of the Swimming Pool Support Fund.

“These funds will provide welcome support to the operators of these five sites at what is a financially challenging time for swimming pool operators and will support them to continue to provide public swimming, positively contributing to residents’ health and wellbeing as well as providing a place for local school children to learn to swim.”

Somerset Council has also submitted an application to Phase 2 of the fund, which will provide grant funding for capital investments to help swimming pools become more energy efficient.

The outcome of the application is expected in the new year.

For more information on the fund, visit www.gov.uk/government/news/nearly-200-leisure-centres-supported-by-swimming-pool-support-fund.