OKEHAMPTON town councillors this week vowed not to give up on the idea of establishing a toddlers? paddling pool for the town, despite concerns raised by environmental health officers.

The paddling pool would be located on the site of the existing swimming pool, which is set to be replaced by the new multi-million pound Parklands Centre.

At a meeting of the council?s parks committee held on Monday members received a letter from West Devon Council?s chief environmental health officer, outlining a number of potential health and safety issues in relation to the paddling pool.

But Okehampton mayor Christine Marsh accused the borough council of being ?gloomy? ? she felt they should be helping to support what the town wanted for its park.

The paddling pool was one of the key projects included in the council?s concept plan for Simmons Park which was unveiled two months ago.

Restoring a paddling pool in Simmons Park, following the closure of the previous one many years ago for health and safety reasons, has been identified as a venture which could prove popular with young families.

Cllr Marsh told councillors: ?A lot of people have come back with negative things. We recognise the importance of having a paddling pool for low wage earners or people who cannot get transport to the beach.

?We know we have got to look into health and safety and management,? acknowledged Cllr Marsh, but she said she felt the attitude of the borough?s environmental health officers was ?very negative?.

Chairman of the parks committee Cllr Charles Latchford echoed her view: ?I am very keen to see this paddling pool happen. I would hate to be put off by one letter.?

Okehampton Town Council has been in contact with Mid-Devon District Council which operates paddling pools at Tiverton and Crediton.

However, in his letter to the town council, Nick Payne, borough director for the environment, said: ?Mid Devon Environmental Health have advised us that these pools regularly fail to meet basic microbiological standards, despite the use of the disinfection systems they have.

?Whilst there has never been an incident of communicable disease arising from the use of these pools to the knowledge of the council, the potential for a serious problem is always there, given the almost constant poor microbiological quality of the water whilst the pools are in use.?

Mr Payne states that Mid Devon had also advised that although their two pools were fenced, ?the control and supervision of use of the facilities by people is always difficult, as unsupervised children get access to the pool area and use it for a variety of purposes other than that for which it is intended.?

Mr Payne went on to write that the proposal caused him ?a certain amount of anxiety? as in order to provide the facility safely, significant supervision and investment would be required with a detailed risk assessment and management regime.

Cllr Tony Leach said he agreed with a number of the points in the letter. He said it was better for the council to investigate environmental health and management issues before money was spent on developing the idea.

Cllr Marsh said parents had already been ?very patient? waiting for new play equipment and a paddling pool in the park, but there was still a lot of work to do, involving a civil engineer and cost proposals, before planning permission was even considered.

She said there would be ongoing meetings with the borough council to try to address their concerns.