Cheshire East yesterday blocked councillors discussing the closure of Middlewich Leisure Centre saying it could be debated in June – after the facility is closed and staff have lost their jobs.

The centre is due to close to the public on May 31 after the council's environment and communities committee voted last March to offload it to Middlewich High School.

The committee last year agreed to delegate authority to officers to 'take forward to completion asset disposals at the Holmes Chapel and Middlewich joint use sites, to allow alternative local delivery models to establish'.

The Conservatives are furious the centre is to close.

And their frustration grew during a heated meeting of the environment and communities committee yesterday (Thursday) when they were stopped from discussing it – despite repeated efforts to try.

Cllr Tony Dean (Knutsford) said: "My personal view is that if no alternative delivery model was available, somebody would have come back to this committee and said, 'we're going to fire all the people who work there, are you happy with this?'

"It's a policy decision, which I thought this committee should have been involved in."

Chris Allman, director of environment and planning, said: "My understanding is it was delegated to a director to take all necessary steps to implement that decision."

Cllr Dean persisted: "I feel sorry for the Middlewich residents, most of whom seem to write to me on a daily basis about this."

He was then closed down by acting chair Liz Braithwaite (Macclesfield, Lab) who said: "Can I remind you the strategic leisure review update is on the agenda for the next committee meeting [in June]."

Cllr Dean replied: "But people are losing their jobs on May 31. The leisure review, which should have been at this meeting, will be after they've all been fired."

Mr Allman then took exception to this, saying: "The comments around people being fired is inaccurate, and all reasonable measures are being taken to redeploy those staff appropriately."

To which Cllr Dean replied: "Given notice then. The euphemism is given notice, it means the same thing."

Sutton councillor Chris O'Leary (Con) said: "I think it's disappointing that the strategic leisure review is coming back to committee, after Middlewich Leisure Centre will be closed. If you look at the tartan rug…"

He didn't get any further, with Cllr Braithwaite reminding him: "We're not here to debate that at this meeting."

An exchange of words then continued between the two, with Cllr Braithwaite seeking legal advice from an officer.

She then told the meeting: "I reiterate it's not a substantive item on the agenda and will not be debated today."

This time it was Knutsford councillor Stewart Gardiner (Con) who challenged the decision.

He asked that the legal officer email all committee members detailing the grounds on which she had made her decision.

"I'm afraid that the constitution appears to be in breach, and I will be taking that up with the appropriate chairman," he said.

He added: "I'd also like to say that I have also received significant correspondence from people from Middlewich and they are disgusted with this council and the fact that they are being shut out.

"They do not understand why they are not entitled to come and give their views."

Macclesfield councillor Mary Brooks (Lab) said: "I'd just like to point out that the action on the leisure review, was unanimously approved by this committee."

Cllr O'Leary then asked for assurance that, in future, if there any other actions taken that may lead to the closure of public facilities, the committee is given the opportunity to review it.