The controversial decision to close a popular Oxford guest house will be re-examined by city councillors.

Yesterday,the authority's finance and performance scrutiny committee agreed to look into last year's decision by the executive board to sell The Walton Street Guest House, in Walton Street.

The guest house became the subject of a row after its managers, Margie and Patrick Durrant, failed to renew their 15-year lease before the required deadline.

As a result, council leaders decided to put the property on a for sale list.

Now, the scrutiny committee plans to investigate the way in which the decision to sell the property was reached.

Committee chairman, Cllr Bob Price, confirmed that the matter would be fully examined at a future meeting.

The scrutiny committee has no power to overturn the decision to sell, but it could ask the executive board to reconsider if the committee finds that the correct procedures were not followed.