A COUNCIL has been accused of unnecessary secrecy for meeting in private to discuss the future of a showpiece theatre.

Labour-controlled Durham City Council's cabinet met behind closed doors yesterday, and decided to continue running the £14m Gala Theatre, which it took over when the management firm appointed to run the venue crashed in May with £700,000 debts.

The public and press have the right to attend council meetings but the council invoked a law permitting their exclusion in cases where sensitive information about a business or individual is being discussed.

Afterwards, the move was condemned by cabinet member Sue Pitts, leader of the Liberal Democrat group, who said: "I could understand it if we were talking about someone's business, or an individual, but we weren't. It was all broad brush.

"It is people's money and I don't think that any of the discussion was particularly confidential.''

The council originally indicated that it would decide the theatre's future management after 13 weeks.

But the cabinet agreed to continue the authority's stewardship indefinitely while it considers the options.

Coun Pitts said four national theatre companies had expressed interest in the Gala and the cabinet agreed it was important to make the right decision about its future.

She praised officers for putting in unpaid overtime to establish management systems for the theatre, but said that could not continue indefinitely, and that the theatre may need subsidising.

"Labour always swore it wouldn't cost the council taxpayer a penny. If the Gala can achieve all the things it should achieve I see no reason why we shouldn't be supporting the theatre.''

Coun Pitts added that "best practice'' from other theatres in the region should be applied to the Gala.

"I want Durham to be first class. I want everyone in Durham to have the best. The Gala should do all of that.''

A council spokeswoman said the meeting was private because the council's Labour leader Maurice Crathorne wanted members to be able to ask "any question and be fully answered'' without compromising commercial confidentiality.

She said the council would run the Gala for the "foreseeable future'' to allow full exploration of the options.

"They could include other management companies or bringing in specific staff, perhaps an artistic director. Many shows have been full houses. It is going well.'