THERE are calls for an investigation into Swindon Borough Council’s dealings with landlord Seven Capital after the closure of the Oasis Leisure Centre.

And Labour councillors are also keen to find out whether Oasis’ last operator, GLL, is moving equipment from the venue in North Star to other leisure facilities it runs in the borough or elsewhere – and if any of it belongs to the council.

GLL says the items removed are its property and not the council’s.

Kevin Small, who represents Mannington and Western, and Labour group leader Jim Grant, whose Rodbourne Cheney ward includes the Oasis site, have submitted a motion to be debated and voted on at next week’s full council meeting.

If it is passed the council will instruct its scrutiny committee to investigate how the closure of the leisure centre came about and what options are available to keep it on.

It instructs the scrutiny committee to look into a £3m payment made by the council to GLL, which trades as Better and runs six other leisure centres in Swindon – this time under contract with the borough council itself.

The council handed the Oasis to Seven Capital on a 99-year lease.

The committee is asked to find out what “obligations the council placed on GLL for the granting of this £3m subsidy and whether any of it should be repaid now the Oasis has closed” and report back at its meeting on March 29.

Labour want to see reports from the ruling cabinet and audit committee as well.

If passed the cabinet will be obliged to produce a report “into the deal with Seven Capital which includes the transfer of land at the former Clares site, with an estimated valued of circa £20m.

“The report should outline what obligations were placed upon Seven Capital to deliver the snow centre and the protection of the Oasis Leisure Centre. The report should also contain what break clauses are open to the council to return the land and the Oasis to council ownership.”

Finally, the council’s audit committee would be asked to look into reports that GLL is removing fixtures and fittings from Oasis and taking them to be used in other leisure facilities it runs.

GLL said it had taken items – but only its own property.

Partnership manager for Swindon Josh Roper said: “I can confirm that we have removed equipment that is wholly owned by GLL, from the Oasis Leisure Centre, for use in other locations that we operate.”

The charitable trust said the council money was specifically for running the Milton Road Health Hydro, a Grade II* listed building and nothing to do with Oasis or the other facilities it runs across town.

A spokesman said: “GLL has a contract with Swindon council to operate six leisure centres in the town and a totally unrelated and separate contract with Seven Capital to manage the Oasis Leisure Centre."

Conservative council leader David Renard has already set up a cabinet member advisory group on the future of the Oasis, which includes Coun Grant, fellow Rodbourne Cheney member Peter Watts, and economy spokesman Junab Ali.

That group meets privately, but GLL has already said it would come to a meeting if invited following Coun Grant’s suggestion to ask the charitable trust and Seven Capital along to answer questions.

The council meeting begins at 7pm on Thursday.