Closure is an option for landmark Walsall's Gala baths

Council leader Mike Bird said it was past its "sell-by date" and closure was an option as part of a review of leisure facilities around the borough.

However, officers at the local authority said that was "highly unlikely" and instead suggested a revamp and installing a moveable floor at the pool.

Councillor Bird said shutting the Gala and moving its services elsewhere was one of a string of possibilities being considered but stressed no decisions had yet been made.

It comes as two new leisure centres are planned for the borough, one at Oak Park in Walsall Wood and one in Bloxwich. Both are due to be rebuilt under multi-million pound plans.

Councillor Bird said: "The Gala Baths is past its sell by date. We had been looking at whether the Gala Baths should close and reprovide the baths at Bloxwich.

"The experience of going to the Gala Baths is not necessarily great but a lot of people do use the brine baths there. These are all things we are having to look at as part of the review."

Councillor Bird said all services within leisure were being looked at.

"Closing the baths is a consideration but we have not made any decisions," he said. "A lot of it does depend on whether we get the funding from the various sources we need for Oak Park and Bloxwich leisure centres."

It comes after a council scrutiny meeting at which a presentation was given over the town's leisure centres and facilities.

During the meeting, council officers said closure of the Gala Baths had been discussed but it was "highly unlikely" to ever happen because of its town centre location.

Commenting on the plan for a movable floor, cabinet member for leisure Councillor Anthony Harris today said: "This would mean the pool could be used by families and for other users in the future."