GRAVESHAM Council has branded a high street bank “black hearted” in a tussle over a Northfleet sports centre.

Fleet Leisure in Nelson Road went into administration in April and the council was negotiating with the administrator for the return of the 50-year lease which has 42 years to run.

The company owes rent and rates arrears to the council and mortgage payments to Lloyds Bank.

The council wanted to reopen the centre and refurbish the sports and leisure facilities.

But leader Councillor John Burden has accused Lloyds of delaying the move after it took legal action to recover lost funds by putting the lease up for auction.

Councillor Burden said: “We were led to believe the bank would not stand in the way of putting the centre back into community use quickly.

“It is galling a bank which received billions of pounds of public money in the government bail-out should take a stance which directly hits the community.

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The locked gates outside Fleet Leisure Centre which is now up for auction. 

“It seems the black horse also has a black heart. We are now going to have to spend more public money in legal action and we have instructed our lawyers to start forfeiture proceedings to get the lease back from the bank’s administrators.

“This would not be necessary if the bank would see sense and do what’s best for the public – which is still a major stakeholder in that bank.”

A spokesman for Lloyds defended the decision, arguing the bank has a duty to its shareholders in the same way the council does to council tax payers.

He said: “As the secured lender, we are entitled to appoint a receiver over the asset.

“We have a duty to our customer and to our shareholders, which includes the taxpayer, to maximise the value of the asset, rather than simply relinquishing it to the council for free.

“The receiver is now marketing the asset and is open to receiving offers from any interested purchaser, including the council.”

The lease will be auctioned on December 3.