THE future of the Rose Bowl will go under the microscope during a series of council meetings next week.

Last month the Daily Echo exclusively reported that behind-the-scenes discussions had taken place about the possibility of Eastleigh Borough Council ploughing £6.5m in to the home of Hampshire cricket.

We revealed a confidential report – drawn up by the council’s corporate director – that showed how up to £30m of public cash could be used to fund a luxury hotel at the ground.

Next week, councillors will have their first opportunity to discuss the situation since the leaked report revealed how the ground’s finances were “perilous”.

One of the options contained within the document included buying the 999-year lease of the club’s land and buildings before leasing it back in exchange for annual rent.

It is not yet clear whether this idea – or the hotel plan – will be put before members for a decision when they gather for a full council meeting next Thursday.

An agenda for the meeting states only that there will be an “update” on the Rose Bowl situation.

Further talks are due to take place on Tuesday evening at the resources scrutiny panel and during a “special meeting of the cabinet” prior to Thursday’s full council meeting.

The confidential report, leaked to the Daily Echo, was written in September this year and gave a stark appraisal of the Rose Bowl’s finances.

Rose Bowl plc said the report reflected the financial circumstances in late August and a number of “material developments and changes” since then rendered the document “factually inaccurate”.

Low tax campaigners and opposition councillors have both questioned the wisdom of using millions of pounds of public money to bail out the ground.

Council leader Cllr Keith House has pointed to the authority’s “unequalled record” of keeping council tax below inflation for eight years in a row. He said services had been protected by generating extra income through property assets.

As previously reported, a financial watchdog has already completed one investigation and is starting a second inquiry into £1.2m that has already been ploughed in to the Rose Bowl development by the council.

The Audit Commission is investigating whether £187,000 spent in the financial year 2010/2011 was legal.

It has already cleared council spending of £1.059m on the potential Rose Bowl development in the financial year 2009/2010 – finding that the expenditure was “lawfully incurred”.