A number of paddling pools in Carmarthenshire, south Wales, face an uncertain future after the local authority revealed that health and safety requirements and vandalism were making it hard to manage the facilities.

Carmarthenshire County Council (CCC) also said that it would not be practical for local communities to take over the running of the paddling pools as each was situated in the centre of council-owned parks. Clive Scourfield, CCC head of leisure services, said: "The dwindling number of paddling pools and their upkeep and maintenance has been a burden for years. It is becoming increasingly difficult to manage these facilities because of vandalism and stray dogs."

Scourfield also revealed that safety and insurance audits have called for the pools to be fenced off to prevent stray dogs, and for the facilities to be supervised. The council's environment scrutiny committee was told that £20,000 is already spent each years on employing attendants during summer months at the paddling pools. Scourfield said: "The total cost implications are enormous for little and sporadic use."

A decision on the future of the paddling pools is yet to be made, and it will have to be ratified by the full council before any measures are taken.