After more than two years of delay, swimmers will finally return to the William Penn Leisure Centre on Tuesday May 4 – two days before the local and general elections.

The long-awaited announcement was made at a Three Rivers District Council meeting this evening, as councillors again demanded answers about the final cost of the ill-fated renovation.

Councillor Chris Whately-Smith, responsible for overseeing the running of the project, confirmed the building would formally be handed over to operators Hertsmere Leisure on Friday, April 30, with a public opening four days later.

The pools, he said, were now full of water – which was now being heated to the necessary temperature – and final safety checks were under way.

Conservative councillor Tony Barton, however, who has gambled £1,000 of his own money against a final bill of less than £10million for the project, again suggested that Councillor Whately-Smith should resign.

Councillor Barton, who, if proved wrong, will donate the cash to charity, said: “You’ve cost this council millions of pounds with your bad management of this scheme, which is the most diabolical we have ever entered into.”

Councillor Whately-Smith said that a “full and through” investigation would be carried out to find the causes of the delays.

Scheduled to open in March 2008, after just 12 months of building work, the £4.6 million project was beset by delays and cancellations.

Despite the timely opening of other renovated areas, the new adult and learner pools at the site, in Shepherds Lane, Mill End, required extensive corrective work to repair serious faults.

The council, which sacked its main contractor last year, is now braced for a lengthy and potentially costly legal battle to determine who was responsible for the failings.

Conservative councillor Malcolm Butwick, whose party claims costs have already spiralled to at least £8million, had earlier demanded to know from council leader Ann Shaw how much money had already been spent on legal advice.

Councillor Shaw said she would give a written answer tomorrow.