There will be an investigation into why the Oasis Leisure Centre closed – and how best to have it re-opened.

And it will be conducted by the scrutiny committee after its chairman – Labour councillor Jim Robbins – pulled rank.

The iconic North Star venue faces an uncertain future after leisure operator GLL – which leases it from landlord Seven Capital – declared it no longer viable in November.

And it looked for a time as though there might be separate and possibly competing probes into the reasons why, with one by the scrutiny committee and another by the resources and corporate overview and scrutiny committee. The latter was called by Conservatives Rahul Tarar and Vinay Manro.

The pair called for an inquiry on Monday after voting last Thursday for an amendment to a Labour motion which removed the requirement for separate investigations into the state of play at the Oasis.

Coun Robbins said: “We had hoped there would be cross-party support for the motion at council last week. We think it’s important there is an investigation into the contracts first with Morai Capital, then with Seven Capital and GLL.

“We want to find out how we got here, where we are now and how we move forward, and thought it would be best for it to be the subject of a council resolutions rather than just me doing it off my own bat.

“We thought it would get cross-party support, but it didn’t, except now it seems it does because Couns Tarar and Manro have also called for an investigation."

And with a nod to the Manchester band rumoured to have named itself after the centre, he added: “We don’t want to look back in anger, but we do want to find out how we got here and how we can move forward.”

The Conservative duo wanted an investigation by the resources and corporate overview and scrutiny committee

Coun Tarar said: “Committees are independent groups of councillors who can look at any topic within their remit.

“The Oasis centre is an issue that is close to many residents’ hearts, and this investigation will be thorough, transparent and provide definitive answers on why it closed.

“We want this work prioritised and I’d like to see the reports by our next meeting on March 1.”

Coun Manro said “We know GLL has significant financial losses and liabilities at the Oasis Leisure Centre because it has high fixed running costs and had no customers for most of the last 12 months.”

Asked why he and Coun Tarar effectively voted against an investigation only to announce their own days later, Coun Manro referred to a part of the motion which asked the audit committee to look into reports GLL were taking equipment from the Oasis – and whether it was council property.

Coun Manro said: “The council debate highlighted that Labour got their facts wrong, and was asking a Labour-chaired committee to look into something that it hasn’t bothered with for months.

"While Labour play political football with the Oasis, we decided to take action.”

GLL had said it had removed some of its own property from Oasis.

Coun Robbins said the work would be done by the scrutiny committee after he spoke to council officers.

“You can’t have two separate committees doing the same thing because that’s a waste of officer time," he said.

“The corporate and resources scrutiny committee is a sub-committee of the scrutiny committee, so as chairman I decided it would be done by that committee.

“Labour councillors don’t have much power in the council, but scrutiny is one area where we have some. I think Swindon deserves better than to have different committees squabbling over investigations.”

How fiery council meeting led to investigation

LABOUR’S Kevin Small said at the full council meeting last week wanted three separate reports. 

Had his original vote passed it would have required the scrutiny committee to investigate the agreement between Swindon Borough Council and Seven Capital when the company was given a 99-year lease in 2012 and what power the council has to make the landlord find a new operator to open it again.

It also demanded a report from cabinet over the deal between the council and the company for the land earmarked for the planned £270m snow centre next door to the Oasis and required the audit committee to investigate reports GLL were removing equipment from the centre, and whether it belonged to the council. 

GLL said they had removed some equipment but only that which belonged to them.

A Conservative amendment removed those elements and instead inserted the words: “The leader continues to work collaboratively with Seven Capital and GLL and to use his absolute resolve and every endeavour to ensure the Oasis is refurbished and is open again for the residents of Swindon.

It added: “The leader’s Oasis cabinet member advisory group will be updated with progress and he will bring a report to Cabinet at such time that firm proposals are available.” 

After a testy debate the amended motion was passed by the votes of the Conservative councillors, with Labour members, along with Lib Dems and independents, voting against the motion their group had originally put forward.