A WARD councillor has hit out at his local authority for spending more than £240,000 on office improvements.

Derwentside District Council is paying £242,000 to refurbish and redesign offices at Consett Civic Centre, as part of a reshuffle of staff.

Councillor Reg Ord, Derwentside Independent member for Dipton, said the cash-strapped authority had wasted money on moving around employees, which could have been spent on improving services.

He felt it was pointless spending the money when there was the chance that local government was going to be radically overhauled.

"I cannot see the point in spending that kind of money when there is the possibility that that there might not be a Derwentside District Council in the future," he said.

"The money could be better spent on services out in the community. I have been told I cannot get a new litter bin for outside the shop in Flint Hill.

"A litter bin costs approximately £300, yet we are prepared to spend a quarter-of-a- million pounds on improvements to the Civic Centre."

The council leader, Coun Alex Watson, denied that the money had been poorly spent.

"This is minimal expense when we could have spent millions on a new building," he said.

"We know regional government is on the horizon, but it is at least three or four years away, and that is only if the people vote for it.

"Even if it comes in, it will not mean wholescale demolition of the buildings as they are now.

"I find it amazing that Councillor Ord has a problem with this, when he, his party and the rest of the full council unanimously supported the decision to spend this money at a meeting in July."

He said the bulk of the money was to comply with regulations in the Disability Discrimination Act governing access to public buildings. This had a knock-on effect which required staff to be moved into more spacious offices, in order to meet health and safety standards.

"Our staff have not got luxurious offices," he said. "They are all cramped and the staff deserve congratulating for their tolerance in working in less than great conditions."