Campaigners have been reacting the news that closure-threatened Howden Park Centre has been saved.
The council agreed to keep the facility open after a wave of protests.
However, plans to axe three local swimming pools by the end of August have been rubber-stamped, much to the disappointment of angry campaigners.
The council this week granted its consent to the overall plans which West Lothian Leisure say are “vital” to saving the entire charity.
Broxburn pool will close along with pools and gyms at Xcite Armadale and Xcite Livingston, leading to a furious outcry from many.
But Howden Park Centre, also run by the West Lothian Leisure Trust, has been funded until March next year by the council and other options will be looked at to secure its long-term future.
This may include the facility being managed by the team behind Bathgate’s Reconnect Regal.
Karyn Hamilton, who spearheaded the Hands Off Howden Park Centre campaign, said: “We are excited about the future of Howden and the move to allow Reconnect take it forward.
“Hands Off Howden campaign team look forward to working with Pete from Reconnect, hoping that this will turn out to be a long term solution beyond March.
“It’s great that the staff, community groups and arts and theatre have a future, and the community hub will continue.
“We are excited for the future, but it is tinged with a bit of sadness as our friends at the pools, have thus far, not been so lucky.”
Council leader Lawrence Fitzpatrick said he was “devastated” by the decision to close the three pools and insisted: “It is the case that no stone was left unturned to look at alternative options.”
Users of the three pools reacted with fury, saying they are “disgusted” by the news, especially as growing communities like Armadale will have no leisure facilities.
One local, Sharon Laird, said: “The pools and gyms that are left will now be overloaded and that will put people off attending! No win situation.”
Anne Leckie Wood, agreed, adding: “So much for health, fitness and mental welfare in local areas.”
Councillors met behind closed doors at the end of a marathon Executive meeting which had earlier heard pleas of the saving of Broxburn pool by staff member Michael Gilbert.
A spokesman said: “Whilst an alternative solution has been found for Howden Park Centre, no proposals were considered to be credible and viable that would have allowed for the continued operation of Xcite Livingston, Xcite Broxburn Swimming Pool or Xcite Armadale.
“Consent has now been granted to West Lothian Leisure to cease operations at the three pools after work to identify credible alternative options were exhausted without success.”
After the meeting, the Labour leader of the council Lawrence Fitzpatrick said: “Let’s be very clear, this is the council that has stepped in to save care homes and to help provide a future for Howden Park Centre while ensuring that public swimming remains available at Broxburn Academy, Armadale Academy and three secondary schools in Livingston from September.
“We have not been given a single penny of extra funding or support from the SNP Government to help.
“We have cut over £150 million since 2007 with a further £40 million to find over the next five years.
“Local services desperately need the SNP Government to provide additional funding and they have continually failed to do so.”
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