TRUSTEES of Portishead's Open Air Pool have called for the resignation of the man that led the campaign to stop its closure - after he raised questions about how the charity was operating.

Members of Portishead Pool Community Trust - a registered charity -  held a closed doors meeting this week where trustee Roger Whitfield, who led the drive to save the pool from being closed by North Somerset Council, was asked to resign.

The request came after Mr Whitfield contacted the Charities Commission to clarify whether the trust is allowed to pay a solicitor who is married to one of the trustees to carry out legal work on its behalf.

Mr Whitfield said he was concerned the trustee was getting an 'indirect benefit' from the trust as a result of the arrangement.

Mr Whitfield claims he was forced to go to the commission after a meeting he requested with his fellow trustees to discuss his concerns was refused.

When he contacted the commission he was asked to put his concerns in writing to it and his seven fellow trustees.

Mr Whitfield said: "I wanted to clarify whether we needed permission from the Charities Commission to pay the husband of one of our trustees for legal services.

"The advice I received was that if a trustee was receiving an indirect benefit from a decision made by trustees, then normally permission would be required from the Charities Commission.

"I was also told it was my duty as a trustee to inform the commission of any concerns I may have."

The issue was discussed at a closed doors meeting of trustees this week when a series of proposals were put forward.

Trustees said that although they recognised the hard work that Mr Whitfield had put into saving the pool, they were unable to effectively work with him.

They said as a result of his actions he was no longer trusted by board members and compromised the work of the trust going forward and asked him to resign.

Mr Whitfield has refused to resign from the board and trustees have now voted that a resolution removing him from the organisation be put to the annual general meeting of the pool trust in February.

As the trustees do not have the power to remove Mr Whitfield on their own, a vote will have to be taken by trust members.

Mr Whitfield said: "I am not prepared to resign while I still have concerns about the future of the trust.

"My responsibility as a trustee is to users of the pool and to the ongoing success of the pool.

"It will be up to the members of the trust to decide whether or not I remain on the board of trustees."

The Charities Commission has confirmed the trust is operating within the rules and regulations when contracting out the legal work.

A spokesman for the Charities Commission said: "We have been contacted by Portishead Pool Community Trust seeking to clarify its trustees' duties in managing potential conflicts of interest.

"We have advised the trustees that the charity's governing document permits trustees, or persons connected to them, to be paid for providing services to the charity.

"However, before any payment can be validly made, the trustees must be satisfied that they have complied with a number of conditions set out in our guidance on trustees' expenses and payments.

"We have not received any evidence to suggest Portishead Pool Community Trust has not appropriately managed any such conflict of interest therefore we do not currently have any regulatory concerns.

"If anyone, including trustees, has concerns that a charity trustee may be receiving unauthorised benefits, they should report these, with supporting evidence, to the Charity Commission."

Portishead Pool Community Trust was set up in November 2008 following the successful campaign by residents to take over the management of the lido from North Somerset Council.

The pool has seen huge success since the takeover with visitor numbers quadrupling to nearly 32,000 during the first summer season in 2009.

The lido also underwent a £200,000 makeover as part of the programme Ty's Great British Adventure.

American TV star Ty joined forces with hundreds of volunteers and local businesses to transform the run down pool into a Mediterranean oasis in just six days in time for the opening under the management of the trust.

Portishead Pool Community Trust spokeswoman, Jane Humphreys, said: "We have no comment to make at this time."