EAST Hull Baths would close if plans for a new six-lane swimming pool next to the city's Woodford Leisure Centre get the go-ahead, it has been revealed.
The baths opened in Holderness Road in 1898 and remain a popular attraction.
But they have now been earmarked for closure as part of a business plan for a new council- owned leisure company, which could be launched next year.
Plans for the new £6m complex earmarked at the Woodford Leisure Centre in Holderness Road were first revealed by the Mail earlier this month.
At the time, councillors made no mention of any closure proposals for the East Hull Baths.
However, Guildhall officials have now disclosed the development at Woodford is dependent on closing East Hull Baths.
Speaking at a scrutiny meeting, council corporate director Trish Dalby said: "The baths are getting beyond economic repair.
"It is estimated it would cost £500,000 to bring it up to a reasonable standard.
"We want to re-prioritise funding for that part of the city and the business plan for the new company addresses that."
She said a public consultation over the closure proposals was likely to take place in the new year.
But Councillor Abi Bell, the leader of the main Liberal Democrat opposition group on the council, said the consultation would be meaningless if a decision to go ahead with setting up the new company had already been made by then.
"This is the first time any of us have heard anything about the future of East Hull Baths," she said.
"There hasn't been any consultation with us as members and the first thing we knew about the new tank at Woodford was reading about it in the paper.
"If the public consultation comes out 10 per cent against the closure, where does that leave the business case for closing it ?"
The company is likely to take over the running of all council leisure facilities, museums, libraries, parks and playing fields in the city.
The move is being seen as a way of cutting costs because the new-look firm, unlike the authority, would be eligible for VAT and business relief.
It would also be able to operate on a more commercial footing than the council.
About 800 council staff would transfer to the company under their existing terms and conditions.
Speaking at the same meeting, council leisure manager Mitch Upfold said the staff unions remained opposed to the idea of setting up the company following a series of meetings over the issue.
"It's fair to say the trade unions have been consistent on this. They are totally against the idea, full stop," he said.
The committee heard the company would lease buildings and assets from the council to manage them on the authority's behalf.
A shadow board of councillors has already been set up.
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