YORK'S Barbican swimming pool will not be kept open for the summer holidays, council chiefs have ruled.

The Liberal Democrat ruling executive voted unanimously at yesterday's meeting to close the pool as originally intended on June 6 - despite strong opposition.

The planned closure is scheduled to make way for the controversial redevelopment of the Barbican complex to create a new auditorium and a hotel, plus apartments and a smaller, community pool.

Labour councillors and members of the Save Our Barbican (SOB) campaign had called on members to keep the pool open longer, so children could continue using it through the long summer holiday.

They argued that there was no real reason why it should shut next month when other parts of the leisure centre were going to remain open until the autumn.

But Coun Keith Orrell told the meeting that staffing levels had been reduced to such an extent at the pool that managers had been acting as lifeguards.

He also revealed that the baths needed constant maintenance, particularly the heating system.

"Delays in the system are not ideal, but it's in the public's best interests that the pool is closed on June 6 so that we can get it ready for redevelopment," he said.

Coun Orrell said if the pool was kept open through the summer, users would have to pay £8 for each swim.

But senior Labour councillor Alan Jones said to close the pool while the council was still awaiting word on whether the Secretary of State will call a public inquiry on the redevelopment scheme, was "reckless and irresponsible".

He said: "You should not second-guess the Secretary of State."

John Issitt, a spokesman for SOB, told the meeting that the pool would be a huge loss to people during the summer holidays.

"We see the pool closure as an abuse of the people of York," he said.

Mr Issitt appealed to members to "have some integrity" and keep the pool open for the next few months.

Council leader Steve Galloway said swimmers living in the east of York would still have Waterworld and Yearsley baths as an option during the summer holidays.

"This issue has been hanging around for longer than most of us would have wished," he said.

Updated: 10:51 Wednesday, May 19, 2004