A REVIEW into the row over the fiasco of a special meeting to scrutinise the handling of aspects of the contract for a new town centre cinema is being prepared,councillors have heard.

Blackburn with Darwen Council Standards Committee was told that the report on what went wrong with the September 'Call-In would be ready for discussion in March.

The original scrutiny meeting in the extension of the lease for the Reel Cinema building in Blackburn town centre from 20 to 25 years became a shambles because of an argument over dates between the council's ruling Labour group and the Conservative opposition who had requested it.

At the last Standards Committee meeting in October councillors were told there would be a review of procedures after Conservative Cllr Neil Slater accused the ruling group of having been 'found guilty' of mishandling procedures for the 'Call-In'.

Tonight (WEDNESDAY) he asked about progress on the review of the process and arrangements relating to 'Call-in' meeting and was told a report would go to the next meeting of the Council's Policy and Resources Overview and Scrutiny Committee on March 22 .

Borough head of governance Asad Laher said their conclusions would then be fed back for further discussion by the Standards Committee whose chair Cllr Saima Afzal and Tory vice-chair Cllr Kevin Connor were members of both bodies.

Cllr Slater said at tonight's meeting: "About the call in. We did say we would discuss it but I can't see it anywhere on the agenda."

Mr Laher said: "What we are going to do is we will be preparing a report for Policy and Corporate Resources Committee and members of that committee will feed back on standards and ethical issues. So if you just wait for that report to be considered by Policy and Corporate Resources Committee."

Cllr Slater said he was satisfied with that arrangement.