After years of being threatened with closure, one of the city's most important community facilities has entered its 100th year.

But the future of Moseley Road Swimming Baths is still undecided.

The historic Grade II* listed building will be maintained and will remain in use – that is for certain.

An agreement to keep the baths open is written into the pact between the Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition that runs Birmingham City Council.

The baths were closed in October 2004 for emergency repairs.  The smaller of the two pools re-opened last year following a public outcry, but the main pool remains closed.

But whether the site will contain one bath, two baths, or a community facility, is still not known.

The future of the baths could see both pools being opened, or only the larger pool, with the smaller pool being converted into a community rooms.

City councillor Martin Mullaney, who is also chairman of the baths working party, said he wanted users of the baths and the staff to be consulted on all the options on the table.

But before the decision is made, a detailed survey of the building which has been concluded by conservation consultants, will pinpoint exactly what is wrong with the structure.

Then the council will have until the end of the year to submit a bid to the Heritage Lottery Fund as a full-scale development of the site could cost more than #17 million.

Coun Mullaney (Lib Dem Moseley and Kings Heath) said it may prove worthwhile to stall the bid, as Birmingham currently has a number of lottery-funded projects under

consideration, including the redevelopment of the Council House.

He said: "We would have a far better chance of securing funding from the lottery if the baths were not in competition with other projects.

"In the meantime, there is currently a lot of discussion in Moseley into what the future of the baths should be.

"I want to keep two pools, but there is an argument to say that we do not need two pools."

Work already done has included the dismantling and rebuilding of the main boiler house chimney and rebuilding it.

Terracotta window frames were also dismantled and rebuilt with new sections of terracotta blocks specially made where previous blocks had crumpled.

Project officials are midway through a conservation survey to identify exactly which other repairs are needed. As the baths approaches its centenary local campaigners have decided to set up a non-political action group which aims to ensure the building has a prosperous future.

A meeting will be held on Monday to form the Friends of Moseley Road Baths.

Local campaigner Selina Stewart said: "It is vital that all the people who supported the campaign to keep the baths open join the new Friends group, to ensure that both pools and the building are safe for the future.

"Moseley Road Baths is a stunning historic building but it also needed in this community, so that our children learn to swim and so that we all have the chance to swim and keep healthy."

The meeting will be held at Moseley Road Methodist Church, opposite the baths, at 7.30pm.

Moseley Road Swimming Baths opened on October 30 1907 at a cost of #33,000 – but the area had enjoyed swimming facilities as early as 1846.

John Smith opened a private swimming baths on George Street which was the neighbourhood's first open air swimming pool.

Charges of 6d and 12d were made for public and private swimming respectively. The facility thrived for 30 years until the Lido in Cannon Hill Park became the destination of choice.

But as part of the negotiations surrounding the annexation of Balsall Heath to the rapidly expanding Birmingham in the late 1880s promises were made to provide a library and swimming baths.

Balsall Heath became part of the city in 1891, the library opened in 1895 and the baths opened 13 years later at a cost of #33,000.

They were designed by William Hale and Son.

The buildings were originally listed as Grade II in 1982 but the Department for Culture, Media and Sport upgraded the pool and library to Grade II* to reflect their historical importance. There are only seven swimming baths in the country to have this listing and, of those, only three, including Moseley Road, are still in operation.

Almost opposite Moseley Road Pool stands the Highgate School Annex, or the Moseley School of Art which is also Grade II* listed.

*  Do you use the Moseley Road baths? Should the council commit to keeping a swimming facility in the building? Let us know your opinion by email, messageboard or send a web letter to the editor