Residents are one step closer to being able to use the new Rickmansworth School pool in an agreement Three Rivers councillors have hailed a "great deal".

Politicians on the district council’s leisure and community safety policy and scrutiny committee agreed officers’ recommendations to approve an investment of £70,000 in the new pool, which officially opened earlier this month.

The partnership is designed to last for ten years and, in return, 160 hours of public "pay and swim" access will be available every year.

The swimming facilities at the Scots Hill secondary school have been completely renovated since the dilapidated pool closed in 2012.

Residents will predominantly be able to use the pool during the school holiday period.

Speaking after the meeting, leisure committee chairman, Liberal Democrat councillor, Steve Drury, said: "It’s a benefit to both of us (the council and the school), and we’ve secured a good deal for residents of Three Rivers, especially those in Croxley Green."

The decision was also welcomed by Rickmansworth representative, Councillor David Sansom, who sits on the leisure and community safety policy and scrutiny committee.

The conservative councillor said: "It seems like a great deal for the council. For a £70,000 investment residents can use it for the next ten years.

"This means the public can go in and use a brand new pool."

When asked whether the Scots Hill facilities could draw numbers away from council-owned pools such as William Penn Leisure Centre and Sir James Altham, councillor Sansom said he did predict there would not be a detrimental impact.

He said: "I don’t think these pools will be affected. We have had surveys before that showed the more people in the pool the less likely visitors are to come back.

"Also, things such as these tend to even themselves out. It might have a short term effect but not a huge one."

As for the cost to residents who wish to use the "pay and swim" facilities, councillor Sansom said Three Rivers has been assured the "normal rate" will be charged to coincide with William Penn and Sir James Altham.

The pool’s redevelopment was financed after a grant of £380,000 was awarded from the Education Funding Agency and a further cash boost of £150,000 was given to the school from Sport England.

The council’s £70,000 investment will go towards installing a combined heat and power pump, which will improve the energy efficiency of the facility.

The committee’s recommendation will now go to the executive committee, scheduled to meet on Monday, March 24.