SOUTHAMPTON’S former leisure boss has been accused of lying about the potential sell-off of the city’s art collection.

Cllr Warwick Payne angrily denied the claim, made during a heated debate at a meeting of the full city council last night.

But opposition Conservative Cllr John Hannides asked Labour bosses to consider Cllr Payne’s position in the Cabinet as temperatures rose during a stormy debate.

Tory finance spokesman Cllr Hannides made his allegation as he quizzed council deputy leader Cllr Stephen Barnes- Andrews on a potential sell-off of some of the city’s 3,700-piece collection.

There have been calls for the council to sell off items from the largely-hidden collection, which is valued at an estimated £150m, in line with the Daily Echo’s Show Us The Monet campaign.

Cllr Barnes-Andrews, standing in for council leader Simon Letts, said the council was still awaiting a definitive answer on whether artwork can be sold to help finance the city’s £21m arts complex, which could be ready to open next year.

Referring to statements made by Cllr Payne when he was Cabinet member for leisure last year, Cllr Hannides said: “My concern is that the previous Cabinet member responsible for this matter, Cllr Payne, very clearly stated that he had received advice that selling art was illegal.

“Now that is counter to what I am hearing from the deputy leader. Is the Labour administration going to consider the position of a Labour member who misled this chamber and lied to the people of Southampton?”

Cllr Payne, who is now the city’s housing and sustainability chief, demanded that the allegation be retracted, saying that he had been correct to say the council had no legal ability to sell artwork to raise funds to plough back into the city’s coffers.

He said: “There are considerations coming forward now which might have some mileage, but I was asked whether you can sell art off to fund A or B in the city, and you can’t.”

Cllr Hannides said Cllr Payne’s statement was an “insult to the council”, adding “that is not what he said.

“He was very clear that selling art is illegal. He said it without clarification or caveat. He deceived this chamber deliberately.”

Speaking afterwards, Cllr Payne said Cllr Hannides had “changed history”.

He added: “It’s a storm in a teacup – just theatre.”