THE decision to re-open the Swan Theatre under the same management as Huntingdon Hall has been "called in" by Labour councillors.

But Councillor Roger Berry, who announced the decision at a meeting of the full council last night, insisted the procedure would not delay the programme of amateur productions, due to start at the end of April.

A special meeting of the community services policy and review committee has been called to discuss the issue.

It will take place the night before the cabinet meets to make the final decision on the theatre's future.

Any recommendation made by the committee can then be put before the cabinet the following day, which will avoid a lengthy delay.

"The amateur groups will not be at any risk," Coun Berry told the full council.

He said "proper scrutiny" of the rescue package, which the Labour group believes was hatched in secret, was needed to ensure the best management team was selected to run the theatre.

Coun Berry said he was concerned about the amount of money being offered to Huntingdon Arts to re-open the theatre, which currently stands at £84,000 - a £54,000 grant to run the theatre, plus a one-off £40,000 "start-up" grant.

"I regret that the figures we are now talking about are not far short of the £84,000 that could not be found for the Swan board," he said.

He added that the costs of maintaining the building, which would fall to the council, had not yet been assessed.

Council leader, Councillor Stephen Inman, questioned the Labour councillors' motives for calling in the decision.

"The public should know to what extent this is a genuine exercise and not a spoiling exercise," he said.

The community services policy and review committee will meet at the Guildhall, on Monday, March 17, at 7pm.

The cabinet will meet the following day, Tuesday, March 18, also at 7pm, at the Guildhall.

We're not trying to sink the Swan, say directors

THE Swan Theatre's board of directors has denied claims it is deliberately trying to scupper the reopening of the theatre.

The board sent a letter to the city council's cabinet asking for more information about how much money was on offer from the authority, four hours before the preferred bid.

But David Birtwhistle, one of six board members, said the move was not an attempt to stall the planned reopening in April under Chris Jaeger, who runs the city's Huntingdon Hall.

"It was because it was at this stage that new money was being made available," said Mr Birtwhistle.

The board had to make the theatre's 30 staff redundant because the city council was slashing its funding. However, Mr Birtwhistle said it now appeared more money was available to re-start the theatre.

"A few people have gone into a corner, dreamed this up and are trying to make it work afterwards," he said.

"Taxpayers will be paying more and getting less because this will not be a producing theatre doing all its community work."

However, Mr Birtwhistle said even if there was a delay, the board will allow the amateur groups scheduled to appear after April to use the theatre.

"There are obvious difficulties - for example we don't have any staff - but somehow the theatre will be available to the amateurs," he said.