An ambitious swimming pool project, which was feared dead in the water after a major funding blow last year, has been resurrected.
Perth and Kinross Council caused outrage when it withdrew financial assistance for the much anticipated PH20 scheme.
Money for the planned overhaul of the city’s leisure facilities was diverted towards a £50 million redevelopment of Perth High School.
Now councillors have approved a £500,000 partnership with Live Active Leisure to push ahead with the plan.
Council boss Murray Lyle said: “This funding will allow the development of detailed designs and operating models to progress this hugely significant project for all of Perth and Kinross.”
And there was a further boost to long-standing plans for a revamped recreation centre at Blairgowrie.
The project had its budget slashed by £3 million last year. On Wednesday, councillors approved £400,000 of further investment – bringing the total to around £15.1m – to allow for a six-lane pool.
Elsewhere, the approved budget includes £1 million for road safety measures around schools.
There will also be £1.8 million of extra funding for economic development across the region, a further £10,000 to set up a City Centre Action Group and £300,000 to invest in rural economies.
The SNP had proposed £1.8m to improve A9 link roads, £4m for a new pedestrian and cycle bridge over the River Tay in Perth and £2m to install pelican crossings.
Among the capital projects proposed by the Labour/independent group were a £37.5m new school at Scone, and a new £24.1m Pitlochry Community Campus.
Another £1m was proposed for improvements in Crieff town centre.
Labour councillor Alisdair Bailey said: “It is partly through creative thinking on the capital program that we were able to offer up the lowest council tax rate earlier today.
“Our capital expenditure is focused squarely on the projects that matter most to local people.”
