STOKE-ON-TRENT'S top health official has promised to back a fight to save a public swimming pool, if he is given proof that the city is not getting enough people fit.

Primary care trust boss Graham Urwin confirmed he is already in talks with city council leaders who want to shut Shelton Pool, below, to help ease a cash crisis in the local authority.

But he stopped short of making NHS cash available to bail it out.

The council says the closure could save £242,000 over three years, as well as avoiding a £750,000 bill to bring the building up to standard.

But chief executive Mr Urwin, above right, stepped in following a plea by campaigners for his PCT to pay towards the pool's upkeep, as it is regularly used by people for health reasons.

They argue it is one of the few public pools in the Midlands specialising in helping people with long-term illnesses exercise, thanks to its gentle, heated waters and disabilities facilities. Some doctors even refer patients there.

Mr Urwin said: "It is not for me to determine what facilities the city council runs.

"But it is for me to remind the council they are in a partnership and have a duty to help us increase the prevalence of good health as measured by targets.

"If the council can persuade me that they can hit these targets I would not oppose any plans they have.

"However, if they cannot hit these targets I will add my voice to the lobby of opposition to this proposal."

Mr Urwin added that a council cabinet member had asked to meet him and he had been in contact with council directors over the issue.

He said: "That meeting has not yet taken place so at present we are keeping this under review."

The city has been given a target to reduce the gap in life expectancy between its population and the national average to 1.5 years for women and 1.64 for men by next year. Last year, it stood at 1.81 years for women, 2.7 for men.

Latest figures also show just 15 per cent of city residents are active for 30 minutes three times a week, giving it the second worst exercise rate in the West Midlands and the fifth lowest in the country..

The plea for financial support came from John Davis, chairman of the council's older people's wellbeing scrutiny committee, who told Mr Urwin: "Shelton is so specialised that once it closes it could only be re-opened at enormous cost.

"It is bringing so much health benefit to many people that closure would be penny-wise and pound foolish.

"Surely the NHS locally must also benefit by keeping people healthy and reducing the need for them to go into acute hospitals.

Mr Davis, who is also chairman of North Staffordshire Pensioners' Convention, made the request face-to-face to Mr Urwin at a public board meeting in Stoke Civic Centre.

Afterwards he said: "His comments were encouraging but I had wanted the whole PCT board to discuss the question of making finance available and that did not happen."