NEW calls for an investigation into the controversial sale of land at York's Barbican Centre have been made by Labour councillors in the city.

But Steve Galloway, the Liberal Democrat leader of City of York Council, today branded the move a "gimmick," saying: "There is no way back on the decision. The sale is progressing and is in the hands of both parties' solicitors at present."

The Labour group said it had formally requested the council's Scrutiny Management Committee (SMC) to look into the process leading up to the proposed sale of the site to Barbican Venture for more than £2 million less than the previously agreed deal.

It also wanted it to investigate the council's new swimming strategy, which will involve building a new pool in Acomb and long-term aspirations for a new pool in eastern York, in conjunction with the university at Heslington.

Labour said it had already tried to get the sale of the Barbican site examined with a motion to a recent council meeting, but one argument used against it by Liberal Democrat councillors was that the proposal hadn't gone to the SMC.

Opposition resources spokeswoman Coun Janet Looker said: "We really feel that this is a vital issue for the people of York and we strongly urge the Scrutiny Management Committee to agree to look at the future of public swimming in York.

"We tried to get this agreed at full council, but the Liberal Democrats told us to go away and register it formally.

"That is what we are now doing, so let's just see whether they listen this time around."

But Coun Galloway said the last full council meeting had decided not to agree to any further scrutiny of the Barbican issue. He said: "Any move to ask the SMC to reverse a full council decision is just a gimmick."

He said Labour's move risked a delay in the sale of the site of at least 18 months, as new tenders would have to be invited for the site and a new planning permission obtained.

"In the meantime, not only would the Barbican pool remain closed - with the Heslington replacement put in jeopardy - but also essential repair work at Yearsley (and possibly Edmund Wilson) could not be funded.

"The Labour Group are well aware that the council's own capital programme is fully committed. There are no spare internal resources. We are dependant on land sales to complete our modernisation programmes.

"Furthermore the Barbican complex was costing council taxpayers over £750,000 a year in subsidies.

"Potential council tax capping, means this level of subsidy is simply no longer available.

"This was one of the reasons why all groups represented on the council agreed that management of the auditorium should pass to the private sector."

Updated: 10:08 Tuesday, April 25, 2006