THE already over-budget refurbishment of The Splash leisure centre in Malvern is set to produce another big bill.

Malvern Hills District Council has conceded that up to £110,000 may have to be spent on upgrading ventilation and air-conditioning systems at the Priory Road building.

Users of the new gym and dance studio have complained about the high humidity levels and warm temperatures in the facility.

The council has blamed the original design for the refurbishment work and plans to pursue the architects in a bid to stop the tax-payer having to foot the bill.

The costs come on top of an overspend from when the bulk of refurbishment work was completed, although the council is refusing to be drawn on the amount of money involved, saying it is in talks with project partners.

District council leader Tom Wells said that if the £30-£50,000 first phase of the works on the ventilation system is successful, a further £60,000 would not need to be spent.

"We are determined that the Council Tax-payer should not have to foot the bill for any neglect in the original specification," he said.

"Some of the additional spend items are traceable back to the architect, but we are still bottoming out the precise additional spend, the final account has not yet been submitted."

The council has decided to appoint specialist heating and mechanical consultants CODEM to prepare a detailed specification and estimate for the additional works needed.

Funding for the £1.5 million refurbishment project was split between the district council and Sports Leisure Management (SLM), which manages the Splash.

Mr Wells said that the council would also be discussing the final accounts for the project with SLM.

Former district councillor David Williams, who has been trying to get the council to disclose the scale of the overspend, said: "I'm absolutely appalled that the council is even considering spending any more money, when it hasn't yet accounted for the amount it has already spent."