PLANS to give leading Durham County councillors media training have been branded a waste of public money.

The council's executive committee has approved proposals to teach a total of 50 people - including officers and committee chairmen and vice-chairmen - how to handle journalists.

The Labour-run council, which has its own press and publicity unit, will hire a company to teach skills such as TV and radio interview techniques , writing press releases, and holding press conferences.

But Tony Moore, Independent county councillor for Shildon North-East, said: "I don't think it is up to council taxpayers to fund this kind of thing.

"Funding should come from the political parties - they should train their own councillors.

"The council will go out to tender for the training and that will cost a lot of money - possibly tens of thousands of pounds.

"That money could be spent instead on the community organisations and voluntary groups throughout the county who are desperately in need of a few pounds."

Chief executive Kingsley Smith said providing media training was part of the council's communications strategy.

"Through the training we want to equip the relevant councillors and staff with the necessary skills to handle being interviewed by the media.

"This will help us to present the council in the best possible light when approached by journalists for interviews and comment."

He added that the plan would lead to a consistent approach to dealing with the media.

The council could get maximum benefit for the training by promoting the availability of councillors and staff for interviews.