WINCHESTER City Council has been rebuked by the information watchdog for the second time in two months after withholding details of a controversial leisure centre deal.

The Information Commissioner has ordered civic chiefs to release figures and emails relating to the management of River Park Leisure Centre.

The ruling marks a victory for campaigner Martin Wilson, who began filing Freedom of Information (FOI) requests over two years ago in a bid to prove the deal has been botched.

And it comes weeks after the commissioner ordered the release of financial details from an outdated version of the Silver Hill regeneration following an FOI request by campaigner Judith Martin.

The River Park contract has not been tendered since 1992 and has been granted to DC Leisure, now Places for People, until 2023.

The Guildhall denies Mr Wilson's allegations, including that million-pound payments to the operator were granted "without appropriate approval" and councillors made decisions based on unreliable information.

Mr Wilson said: "This has been said to be a uniquely profitable leisure centre and the Winchester taxpayer has not benefited - far from it. We have spent some £13 million in the last 10 years or so on a failing facility. However, I could not get answers out of the council.

"I believe the operator should be held responsible for returning that facility back to an appropriate state and that should be done immediately, because whatever happens down at Bar End, that's still years away.

"I'm not looking for heads to roll but ... I want to ensure that contracts of that nature are being monitored and enforced appropriately."

Information to be released includes fine details of DC Leisure's original and renewed contracts, as well as terms offered to the council during negotiations in 2012.

Redacted emails between the operator and Guildhall bosses - including chief executive Simon Eden, corporate director Steve Tilbury and former leader Keith Wood - are also to be published.

Most of the information was released to Mr Wilson last year, but he says withheld figures could prove that the contract was poorly audited and may show that DC Leisure owes the council money.

Cllr Stephen Godfrey, leader of Winchester City Council, said: "The small amount of information we withheld was there to protect the interests of our partners.

"We're taking decisions which are consistent with our previous practice, and the ICO is making us aware that they're expecting a different standard."

The council must publish the information by December 17. Cllr Godfrey said an appeal would be "very unusual".