JUST days before a £35 million swimming centre is due to open, Bristol City Council has finally confirmed a training scheme for future Olympians is due to go ahead.

It was 18 months ago the council first spoke to local swimming clubs about setting up Swim Bristol, a training scheme for the best local swimmers.

But the Evening Post understands there followed months of uncertainty over the scheme, what it would involve and even whether it would actually go ahead.

Those questions remained even until this week, when the Post asked whether it was still happening.

In response the authority has confirmed it will launch Swim Bristol when Hengrove Leisure Centre opens on February 29, complete with a 50m Olympic standard pool.

Though most of it will still happen as planned, the scheme will go ahead in a slightly reduced capacity due to funding problems.

Extra money to support the scheme was due to be provided by the Amateur Swimming Association. But the council said this hit the buffers due to government funding cuts.

It has refused to say how much cash Bristol missed out on as a result, on the grounds the figures are "confidential".

A source told the Evening Post it was potentially tens of thousands of pounds.

The council has also refused to say how much funding it still receives from the ASA.

The Swim Bristol scheme will focus on competitive swimming, synchronised swimming and water polo, in the hope of creating future champions. It is the water polo that will see cutbacks, as training will only be provided for juniors, not seniors.

It has also emerged the council refused £15,000 of funding for a top level coach, that would have been paid for by the ASA.

The council says it could not comply with the terms and conditions of the funding, which required the job to be advertised nationally and not just offered to in-house staff.

Six local clubs will be involved; Bristol North Swimming Club; Bristol Henleaze Swimming Club; Bristol Penguins Swimming Club; Bishopsworth Swimming Club; Portway Swimming Club; Bristol Central Swimming Club.

From April they will be asked to pay a levy of £3 per swimmer for every athlete they put forward to take part. It is estimated this will raise £28,000 a year to pay for additional water time and the employment of an assistant coach.

The Post was contacted by a swimming volunteer who had concerns about the apparent lack of progress.

The clubs had also written a joint letter to the council only last week raising their own concerns.

The resident, who did not wish to be named, said: "For a city of our size, how many regional or national medals do we produce compared to Leeds, Manchester, Plymouth?

"It's quite shocking. If they can't organise this how on earth are we going to get an arena?"

The Post asked the ASA to comment but nothing was provided, despite repeated requests.

Council spokeswoman Helen Hewitt said: "We work very closely with the ASA who continue to actively support the Swim Bristol scheme, especially our synchronised swimming and water polo development activities.

"Funding and resources from the ASA is in line with what is appropriate in order to support the infrastructure and development of our programmes.

"In the future, the ASA will work in partnership with us to develop enhanced competitive swimming provision. The only reduction in the Swim Bristol scheme is that we will be working with junior water polo only and not with seniors. The rest of the scheme is intact and will be delivered as planned."