Frustrated residents say they "just want be able to swim again" as a stand-off over a shut swimming pool escalates.

Ashford Borough Council (ABC) and Tenterden Leisure Centre's operators – Tenterden Leisure Trust (TLT) – have been at loggerheads for months over the continued closure.

The council says it is "extremely disappointed and concerned" by the situation, which kicked off just three months after a near-year-long closure finally ended.

Following what centre manager Jordan Garland described as "one of the most challenging periods in the history [of the centre]", the relaunch in September saw a completely renewed roof installed alongside a refreshed interior at the cost of almost £2 million.

However, the swimming pool was forced to close once again at the beginning of December after debris fell from the roof. Its continued closure means it has only been open in three of the last 18 months.

ABC insists safety inspections were carried out and the pool was safe to reopen.

But TLT and Serco – the operators of the centre – said they were seeking further reassurances there was no danger to customer safety following continued issues with the roof.

This week, ABC served notice it will be cutting funding to the trust and Serco amid the row.

A spokesman said: "With support now exceeding £1m of taxpayers money, with no visible reduction in the monthly requests and the centre remaining closed for swimming, council officers and members have given Tenterden Leisure Trust and Serco three months' notice to cease the funding."

Since April 2021, more than £500,000 has been given in support to the trust per year. The projected deficit for the council's budget for the next financial year is almost £2.9m.

A council spokesman said £1.1m has been provided since that date, alongside £1.5m for recent repairs and a further £465,000 for further works.

In response, a TLT representative revealed to a Tenterden Town Council meeting on Monday that Serco had served notice to cease as agent for the trust.

As part of an originally confidential briefing, it was revealed that the removal of council funding and announcement from Serco has left the trust's future in serious doubt.

The trust's loss of funding from ABC and Serco leaving means its own future is now in doubt.

An exerpt read: "The trust does not have the resources to continue operating the leisure centre without ABC's financial support and an experienced operator acting as the trust's agent."

Following a number of public statements, residents vented their frustrations and called for a resolution to rectify the situation swiftly.

One described the various statements as "peacocking".

"The children in the local area just need the pool back and for all of this to be over," they said.

"This is a load of word salad to somehow placate people who have been complaining," added another.

"What they do not say is when the swimming pool will be reopened, which is all that people want to know."

"ABC, Serco and Tenterden Leisure Centre Trust appear to be a bunch of clowns who have no idea of what they are doing."

Tenterden deputy mayor Cllr Sue Ferguson said people want to see "the right people talking together".

"I think the average resident just wants to go for a swim," she added.

Cllr Matthew Forest, cabinet member for recreation at ABC, said: "Our position is clear – we want to see the swimming pool at Tenterden Leisure Centre re-open as soon as possible, and we continue to have dialogue with the Trust and the operator to make this happen."

A TLT statement said it "shares the council's frustration at the pool remaining closed" but since December, various metal items had been removed that "present an ongoing risk to customers and employees at the centre".

It added: "In January this year, the trust commissioned a high-level clean, which removed further metal and wooden objects. It was hoped this deep clean would enable us to reopen, offering local people our full range of sport and fitness services once again.

"Unfortunately, the high-level clean identified loose metal strapping and hanging timber.

"We have notified the local authority, and until the potential danger of loose and falling objects is addressed, we regrettably cannot reopen the pool in the interests of customer and colleague safety. Other areas of the centre remain open as usual.

"Until the potential danger of loose and falling objects is addressed, we regrettably cannot reopen the pool in the interests of customer and colleague safety."