Despite a last-effort push to cancel Wellington's controversial cinema plan -- the deal will still go ahead

Wellington City Council has today voted to continue on with its Reading Cinema bail out.

The council plans to buy the land under the site for 32 million dollars, to be fixed up, quake strengthened, and sold back to the cinema company.

Nine councillors supported the deal, and seven opposed it.

Councillor Iona Pannett calls the plan 'corporate welfare.'

She says they're essentially being asked to sell the family silver to deal with the company's failure - adding there's nothing sacred about that particular cinema.