Councillor accused of 'spinning' (From Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard)

Councillor accused of 'spinning'

GLOUCESTERSHIRE'S leading Tory councillor is being reported to the Standards Board for allegedly misleading the public.

Cotswold-based Barry Dare has been accused of "spinning against the council" over the cost of new cycle racks and shower facilities for the county authority's staff.

Information released by the Conservative Group indicates the combined scheme would cost more than £400,000.

But the Labour and Liberal Democrat groups say the cycle racks are more likely to cost just £5,000 and have vowed to launch an internal inquiry as well.

Gloucestershire County Council's Labour leader Peter Clarke said: "I am appalled that the Tory leader is spinning against the council and its staff without bothering to check his facts."

While the authority's Liberal Democrat deputy leader Liz Boait added: "Most of the cycle racks needed for staff are already in place - this policy is about encouraging them to be used and reducing car use.

"For the Tories to try and use the press to scare local people with misleading figures is appalling."

The council aims to encourage five per cent of its workforce at major office sites to travel to work by bike.

The authority employs around 21,000 people but the cabinet says the new scheme is only aimed at between 1,000 and 2,000 people.

Cllr Clarke and his cabinet colleagues believe the Tories have calculated their figure based on the entire workforce.

But Cllr Dare, who represents Moreton-in-Marsh on the county and has been recently elected onto Cotswold District Council, says their own information is based on figures already published by the council.

He said: "Let them get on with it (reporting to the Standards Board). They've clearly scaled everything down. The £5,000 has never been a figure we've heard them mention."

All councillors have a code of conduct they must abide by. The Standards Board investigates breaches of that code.