A campaigning councillor is calling for the opening hours of Johnstone Community Sports Hub's swimming pool to be extended.

Iain McMillan fears people from poorer areas in the town are being hit hardest by the pool being shut to the public between 11am and 3pm on weekdays.

Local residents who wish to swim during this period instead have to travel to one of the other pools in Renfrewshire, such as the ON-X, in Linwood.

Councillor McMillan, who represents Johnstone South and Elderslie, is urging leisure services provider OneRen to go to greater lengths to address the situation.

"I would like to see the pool open all day," the Labour man told The Gazette.

"Their argument is that it's not so busy during the week but, if it's not open, it can never be busy.

The Gazette:

"I do appreciate the extra costs but I have heard that a number of people have been turning up at the swimming pool only to be told they can't get in because it is closed."

The pool at Johnstone Community Sports Hub is currently open from 7am until 11am and 3pm until 9pm on weekdays and from 9am until 4pm at weekends. 

During school holidays over the summer period, the pool has also been open for Splash sessions every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, from 12.30pm until 2.30pm.

Councillor McMillan said: "The pool has opened up a wee bit more for these Splash sessions but it would be much better to open it up fully during the summer holidays, given the weather there has been.

"The sessions are only going to be for another few weeks and then the pool will be shut for four hours during the day again, which is 20 hours a week.

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"It's not just the time spent swimming that provides health benefits. When the pool is open, it helps older people get out of the house, have a blether with their pals and go for a coffee afterwards, so there are mental health benefits as well."

A spokesman for OneRen said: "As with all operators of public pools, our running costs are significant and, as such, we look at pool usage and our opening times to reflect this. 

"Traditionally, there have consistently been very low levels of usage between 11am and 3pm, however we have seen much more participation through the introduction of programmed activity in these hours. 

"We always review how best to maximise usage during opening hours and provide seasonal opening hours for bookable sessions. 

"We will continue to monitor opening hours and adjust accordingly."