TRUSTEES of Bovey Tracey swimming pool have been given a huge boost in their bid to upgrade its solar energy.

Members of the town council awarded a grant of £25,000 to kick start a fund-raising campaign by the charity-run outdoor pool improve its current system.

Last year trustees spent £27,000 on more efficient gas boilers but want to improve the site’s green credentials even further.

Its current solar panel array and battery storage system is only four years old but not powerful enough to operate pumps for long periods.

Independent advisors found that rapid advances in the technology mean the existing set up can’t be extended.

The cost of installing 48 more efficient panels, an inverter, double stack batteries and roof strengthening comes to more than £38,000.

Trustees have pledged to hold fundraising events but asked the town council to kickstart the project with £25,000 from the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) pot, using money from developers building homes.

In their application the trustees said: ‘As well as always trying to improve the facilities, we need to explore renewable and more affordable energy solutions to help future-proof the pool for future generations.

‘We previously raised funds to install a solar panel array with battery storage on the available roof space. This reduced in part our electricity costs and environmental impact. We would now like to improve and extend our use of solar panels.

‘We know the town council is committed to renewable energies and feel our project links to its Carbon Emissions Reduction Plan.’

Members were supportive of the scheme but wanted reassurance the pool’s existing solar system could be re-used elsewhere in the parish.

Cllr Glen Kennedy, who has been advising pool trustees on technological matters, argued demanding a new site be identified before the grant was awarded would delay the project and, potentially, land the recipients with an unknown bill for installation.

He said: ‘These are people in our community, let’s have some trust in them.’

Members voted in favour.