AN historic pond at Haslemere Museum, enjoyed by generations of local children for more than 70 years, is under threat because of a shortfall in funding.
At a meeting of Waverley Borough Council's environment and leisure overview and scrutiny committee, Luisa Hodgson (Con) appealed for a grant to fund repair work to the leaking pond.
But members heard there were no plans to provide funding to the museum over the next financial year.
The pond lies in the museum garden close to the gazebo and has been used for freshwater studies by school children since the 1930s.
The chairman of Haslemere Museum, Bernard Coe, is saddened by the news which he says, puts this popular attraction in jeopardy.
"Over the spring and summer we have as many as 750 children looking at plant and animal life in the pond water through microscopes.
"But because of a leak, it has become very low and is in such a bad state that this pond-dipping may have to stop. It is one of those activities that local people always remember and it is an integral part of the museum."
Mr Coe said the pond required urgent attention and needs around £4,000 to repair the cracked surface.
"As a private museum we rely on private donations. We get very little from Waverley, although in the past they've been generous with capital grants. But we find it very difficult to get revenue money."
Michael Biddiscombe, the town council's Haslemere Museum representative, said there was a tendency for Waverley not to view Haslemere Museum as "a pressing need" compared to Waverley-owned museums in Farnham and Godalming, because it was founded by a private benefactor.
"Haslemere Museum does have the money in reserves but slowly and surely this is being spent and the concern is that in a few years time this could become a serious problem."
Mr Biddiscombe, whose own children regularly used the pond years ago, further stressed its historical significance and described it as "a lovely feature.
"It is part of its heritage and the museum was established as an education museum, so if it went it would be a huge loss. I would urge Waverley to think about the museum's funds because if they let the museum keep taking money out of its own funds, it will become run down."
Museum curator Julia Tanner admitted that securing any level of funding was now very difficult for the museum.
"I suppose it's because this sort of thing is not seen as very interesting and it comes down to changing trends. Even if we want just £60 for something, that becomes difficult, let alone trying to get large sums of money."
Miss Tanner confirmed that an application for funding had been made to SITA Environmental Solutions but following the refusal of an earlier application, she is not optimistic that one will be granted.
"Whatever happens we'll never give up on the pond. It is linked to an historical figure - Sir Yueldale Price - who is believed to have planned the layout of the historic gardens in the 1790s."
Earlier in the year, the museum ran up a budget deficit of £70,000 and despite the financial crisis, was awarded just £2,000 from Waverley Borough Council - £3,000 less that the sum for which the museum applied.
Portfolio holder for leisure, culture, and tourism, Byron Grainger-Jones, conceded that grant allocations for Haslemere museum seemed "modest" compared to the amounts spent on Waverley-owned museums such as Farnham, and said that would be looking to rectify the situation.