Telford & Wrekin Council’s Tory group chief has taken a swipe at the authority’s Labour rulers for diverting £30,000 to pay for the re-introduction of free swimming sessions for the under-16s.

Councillor Andrew Eade told a meeting of the council’s cabinet last night that the cash decision merely took money which was destined for the community from one area before just giving it back to another.

Councillor Eade, referring to Labour’s brief time at the reins of the council since overthrowing the Conservatives at the May elections, said: “Fifty days to come up with £30,000 from an overall budget of £0.5 billion, well, whoop de doo.

“You really have to try a little bit harder.”

The attack came as councillors discussed a £54,000 “community fund” at the authority to help grassroots projects.

Labour has decided to use £30,000 from the original £99,000 allocated to the fund to bring back the free swimming sessions for under-16s across the borough which were scrapped last year.

The council this month announced dozens of projects across the borough would receive a boost following the relaunch of its community fund.

Cabinet members last night approved the scheme which will now see each ward in the borough receive £1,000.

Councillor Shaun Davies, cabinet member for co-operative council and partnership, said one of the aims of the scheme was to build on the relationship between Telford & Wrekin Council and the borough’s town and parish councils and to recognise the key role that ward members played in their local area.

Each of the authority’s 54 councillors will take the lead in delivering the scheme across their own area in partnership with their respective town or parish council.

A report to last night’s meeting said the criteria for allocating the funding would be agreed in consultation with town and parish councils, with the ward member making any final decision on how to spend the £1,000 they received to support schemes in their ward.

Some standard criteria will be required which will be developed prior to the scheme beginning.

By Simon Hardy