Nine councillors attempt to stop council excluding public from listening to decision on Hall of Fame closure

Nine Rugby Labour councillors have this evening, March 16, voted against the council motion to exclude the public and press from the section of the full council meeting which will see a final decision on whether to shut Rugby's Hall of Fame.

A secret report prepared by Rugby council officers was recently compiled - with the suggestion being that it would not be viable for Rugby council to renew its contract with World Rugby.

And when the council's cabinet met on March 1 they used a clause in the Local Government Act to exclude the public and the press as they considered whether to act on the report.

Cabinet approved of a suggestion to shut the attraction, with the final decision to be made at this evening's full council meeting.

Again, the public and the press were set to be excluded from this portion of the meeting.

When the time came to vote on whether to exclude the public, Cllrs Maggie O'Rourke, Tom Mahoney and Ish Mistry called for the vote to be recorded - meaning each councillor's vote would be put on the public record.

Then, when the vote on excluding the public came, nine Labour councillors voted against it, 29 Conservative and Lib Dem councillors voted in favour and Lib Dem councillor Noreen New abstained.

The motion was passed - meaning this section of the meeting, which is still in progress at the time of this story being published, is now being held behind closed doors.

A decision on the Hall of Fame will be published by the council - but the Advertiser understands that councillors are expected to vote to shut it.