COUNCILLORS say they are "disgusted'' that plans to revamp the centre of a former pit village have not won full funding.

The Esh Winning 2000 Partnership and Durham County and city councils have drawn up a £320,000 scheme to improve the centre of Esh Winning with paving, lighting, street furniture and a resurfaced market place.

But the village's Labour city councillors, Eileen Rochford and David Cummings, are fuming after the Liberal Democrat-controlled city council's Flourishing Communities Board gave the scheme £50,000 instead of the £150,000 requested.

Coun Rochford, a former city mayor, said she and her colleague thought opposition by them and residents to the sale of some council-owned open land in the village may have been behind the board's decision.

She asked: "Has this grant been reduced because local residents did not want all their land selling off and wanted to retain some land for our children?

"If we had got the full funding we asked for, the scheme could have gone ahead in one fell swoop.

"We have been told we can re-apply for further funding, but that takes time. Now, we will have to consult on a smaller scheme because there is the possibility that we might not get further funding in future.

"We had hoped to do the work in the spring and summer, but it might not be until the autumn.

"At the same meeting, bids were approved for both Witton Gilbert and Sherburn of £50,000 each for schemes costing £106,000 and £85,000. Where is the even-handedness?''

However, council leader Fraser Reynolds rejected her claim, saying: "We have criteria to work these things out. We gave them £50,000 and said they could make a further application.

"Both the other bids also bid for more than they got. I can't understand why they are upset.

"We judged the Esh Winning application on its merits. We haven't turned it down. If you added the three bids together, you are talking about finding £300,000 to give them what they wanted.

"You couldn't do that, because you'd have no money left and there are other people putting in bids for funding.''

The council was able to set up its Flourishing Communities Fund to support regeneration and improvement schemes with the money it raised by selling off council-owned land.