CAMPAIGNERS vowed to fight to re-open Temple Cowley Pools (TCP) after the leisure centre closed its doors for the last time yesterday.

The complex closed hours after Oxford City Council’s scrutiny committee confirmed it would be demolished.

The committee reviewed the decision taken by the executive board on December 10 to sell the leisure facility to Catalyst Housing for £3.5m.

Councillors on the scrutiny committee had the option to ask the executive board to reconsider, but instead backed the original decision.

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Save Temple Cowley Pools spokesman Nigel Gibson said campaigners would move to the next stage in their fight to keep the complex open.

He said: “We are not surprised by today’s decision, it followed the vote along the lines we have come to expect.

“There are a number of options which we are considering.

“First we can object to the process and the way in which we feel that we have been unfairly treated. If that does not go anywhere then we will go to an external complaints procedure.

“This will happen as soon as we can do it.”

Such a procedure could see Eric Pickles, the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, asked to intervene in the dispute.

Mr Gibson made a presentation on behalf of Save Temple Cowley Pools, which wants to lease the site from the council, keep the pool and open a community centre alongside 17 social housing properties.

But the scrutiny committee agreed with the reasons behind the original decision to sell the complex to catalyst.

The city council said it could no longer afford to maintain the older building at TCP when a new leisure centre has opened a few miles away in Blackbird Leys.

Councillors at the scrutiny committee meeting raised concerns over proposals by Save Temple Cowley Pools to build housing over the pool section of the complex if it was kept open.

City council leader Bob Price said: “The process of consideration at the city executive board was, I think, very fair and very considered and the points that being made forward by Save Temple Cowley Pools were taken into account.

“The proposals being put forward by the group had a number of very uncertain projections and assumptions.

“Overall we are trying to take the decision on behalf of the city and based on that we decided on the Catalyst bid.”

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