WORCESTER'S Conservative leadership has made a desperate swimming pool plea - insisting the project cannot afford any delays.

Councillor David Wilkinson has made a direct plea to the opposition Labour Party to not downgrade the £10.4 million project if if wrestles back power at next year's elections.

In October full council voted to press ahead with a top-of-the-range, competition standard pool at Perdiswell after two years of deliberation.

But the Labour party has always been sceptical about how taxpayers will afford it, with group leader Councillor Adrian Gregson revealing last month how he would "take it back to full council" for another vote if he gets back in charge.

Labour wants a fresh vote once the complete funding package has been laid out in the public domain.

At the moment the Conservatives are in power as the largest party, but only after the backing of Councillor Alan Amos, who quit Labour back in May to become an independent.

With the city council in a position of no overall control, it could swing back next year.

Cllr Wilkinson, the cabinet member for safer and stronger communities, has warned against "unpicking" the pool project in the event of a change of political control. Speaking during a full council meeting, he also insisted the project was on track to open by the end of 2016.

"If anyone attempts any unpicking of the swimming pool project it would have an adverse impact," he said.

"By June (after next year's elections), if anyone tried to delay it that would effectively take us back to the same position we were in last June, adding another year to the programme.

"Any changes to it would mean time wasted, it would be extremely unwise and result in us wasting a lot of money."

He was speaking during a full council meeting, after being asked a question by fellow Tory Councillor Roger Knight.

October's decision, which will see the existing Perdiswell Leisure Centre extended and transformed into an eight-lane pool instead of six lanes, was voted through by 18 votes to 16 during a fierce debate which saw Labour, Lib Dem and Green councillors go against it.

A plan is being drawn up to fund the project including money from selling the Sansome Walk pool site, which will be demolished and handed to developers for an estimated £500,000 once the new-look Perdiswell pool is open.

There will also be a loan taken out, a possible Sport England grant of up to £2 million, and some cash from the £3.1 million for selling the Orchard House complex to the University of Worcester.

But Labour want it taken back to full council then for a fresh vote, something the Conservatives have not offered.