YORK’S council leaders were heavily criticised as city politicians got their first chance to debate the future of the troubled Barbican Centre.

In a stormy debate at Guildhall last night, city councillors reacted to the collapse of the proposed redevelopment by Absolute Leisure Ltd and called for fast action to find a “Plan B”.

Ahead of the debate, council leader Andrew Waller revealed the authority had now got the keys back from Absolute Leisure.

He said: “I am pleased to say that we are now back into the Barbican and that initial checks indicate that there are unlikely to be major issues to be resolved before it can be used for events.”

But Labour and the Conservatives later united in condemning the Liberal Democrats’ handling of the planned redevelopment, from 2003 onwards.

The council sent Absolute Leisure packing earlier this month after the firm failed to deposit more than £3 million into a secure account by an agreed deadline of January 5.

In a tempestuous meeting at Guildhall, councillors debated what should happen now.

Conservative councillor John Galvin said the blame lay “120 per cent” with the Lib Dems, and called on them to apologise.

Fellow Tory Ian Gillies added: “To have let this go on for four years is absolutely disgraceful.”

Addressing the Lib Dems, Labour’s David Horton said: “You have blamed everyone under the sun – why not take some of the blame yourself?”

Christian Vassie, leisure and culture boss for the Lib Dems, said it was “deeply sad” that the proposed deal fell through, but said the city council was right not to let the matter drift.

He said it would be “foolish” to pretend the city had not suffered from the Barbican’s closure, but challenged the role of the Save Our Barbican campaign group.

“We will never know whether, in the absence of the vociferous and ultimately fruitless campaign run by a protest group, the building would now be open and functioning,” he said.

Coun Richard Watson said a “brilliant” redevelopment had been scuppered by “disingenuous” campaigners.

Labour’s leisure and culture spokeswoman Janet Looker said the city council had a good offer on the table in 2003, but said: “Now, we do not have a pool of any description.

“We have a crumbling auditorium, empty for so many years, and we have public opinion that has become disheartened and fed up with the whole thing.”

She said the Lib Dems had changed the plans in 2003 and must stand by their decision.

Coun Looker’s motion, condemning the Lib Dems and calling on Coun Waller to provide regular written updates on the project from now on, was passed.

A second motion by Andy D’Agorne, of the Green Party, suggesting that a trust should run the centre was defeated.