A BLACKWOOD councillor says he faces disciplinary action after he criticised plans for a council-funded cinema in Bargoed in media interviews.

Caerphilly Council has pledged to build a £6.9 million cinema as part of town centre regeneration, which will be leased to Odeon for 10 years.

But Blackwood councillor Nigel Dix said that a Maxime cinema opening this summer in Blackwood meant another was not needed and it could end up lying disused – with the taxpayer paying £310,000 a year if things go wrong.

He claimed the council planned to take out a £4 million loan and that revenue from the lease would not cover the 20-year repayments.

Now he says he has been called to face the ruling Labour group on November 19, who will decide whether to expel him from the group.

Cllr Dix denied wrongdoing, saying: “My argument is I haven’t broken any rules – I’m just informing the public. If a member of the public had sat in the meeting they could have heard everything.

"It will be up to my colleagues whether to support me or not - it's a matter of principle for me."

He added: “If we own the building and it’s not a success, what happens? If the company decides it can’t make a go of it, it could pull out.”

He said he had originally approved the cinema but felt differently now a new cinema had opened in Blackwood – “a mile and a half away as the crow flies.”

“It will be in direct competition. The market has already provided a solution.”

Cllr Dix could end up as an independent Labour councillor if he is expelled by the ruling group.

He added he hoped to bring the cinema decision, originally approved by a Plaid Cymru administration, back to full council to be re-appraised.

“All I’m asking is for them to look at this with common sense and in light of the cuts”, he said.

Gez Kirby, a spokesman for the Caerphilly Labour group said he did not want to comment on internal matters but added that the policy had already been agreed by the group including Cllr Dix.

He said councillors who had concerns about the proposal had not said anything during council meetings and said “If a member has concerns about council policy, they should raise them with the group.”