A decision on whether to close Portishead's Open Air Pool for good will now be made at the end of November.

Members of North Somerset Council Strategic Planning and Economic Development policy and scrutiny panel working group have been given an extra month to consider a report on the future of the pool.

A review panel, set up by North Somerset Council, spent five months putting together the report on the running and maintenance costs of the pool.

The report claims it cost the authority £130,000 this year to keep the pool open.

It also recommends closing the seafront attraction, which shut its doors at the end of the summer season last month for what could be the last time, and selling off the site for development.

Cash saved from closing the pool would be ploughed into improving other leisure facilities in the town.

Initially the SPED panel working group was given just 17 days to scrutinise the report and make a recommendation to the authority's executive on October 28.

But following concern from panel members that 17 days was inadequate to consider the report fully, a further month has been agreed by council leader Nigel Ashton.

The working group's report and recommendations will now go to the executive when it meets at the end of November.

SPED policy and scrutiny panel working group chairman, Councillor Tony Moulin, said: "We will ensure that there will be a full and appropriate follow up on issues arising from the review panel's report.

"We will seek to complement, if necessary, the existing review report with further detail and options.

"We will make our recommendations to the executive and full council at the end of November."

The news that the working group has been given a further month to consider the report has been welcomed by residents fighting to save the pool from closure.

Campaigners want to set up a trust and take over responsibility for managing the pool from the local authority.

Pool campaigner, Roger Whitfield said: "It is good news that more time has been allowed for the working group to consider the contents of this report.

"We had the same concerns as some of the panel members that 17 days was not longer enough to consider the report fully.

"The figures contained in the report are questionable and the conclusion to close the pool is wrong.

"There are areas of this report which need looking at by the panel very carefully."

The Portishead pool, which opened in the 1960s, is the only remaining outdoor lido in North Somerset.