REDEVELOPING Pontypool's run-down leisure centre must be done as a priority, council bosses say.

Early plans for its £6.5 million refurbishment were shown to councillors at a meeting of the education, leisure and young people scrutiny committee.

The proposed redevelopment, revealed in the Argus last Saturday, will see the sports hall and swimming pools kept, but the rest of the centre being flattened and redeveloped. David Congreave, head of leisure, youth and culture at Torfaen council, said: "If we do not do something significant soon, we will be closing parts of that building within the next two years.

"Everybody's got an affection for the leisure centre as a building and as a feature of the community in Pontypool.

"This is a priority project that must be delivered." New Inn councillor Maurice Morgan said: "People are going from Pontypool Leisure Centre to Cwmbran Stadium because of the better facilities.

"There is a niche in the market and we need to fill that niche." An innovative proposal was put to the committee on how to deal with the financial implications of the development.

The suggestion is to use a range of stakeholders to create a 'Citizens' Jury' consisting of twelve members; one third Torfaen councillors, one third leisure centre customers, local residents and interest groups, and one third professionals, employees and trade union officials.

The panel, to be set up in June, will be asked through questionnaires and discussions what issues they feel are important in the finance options decided by the council. A final report to the council regarding the redevelopment is expected in either June or July this year, and the council hopes for a final proposal to be put forward in September, with work starting around April next year.

Mr Congreave added: "We want to close the leisure centre as soon as we can when we know we have a definite set of proposals. We estimate the building work will take between 14 and 16 months."