OPPOSITION councillors in Darlington have attacked the ruling Labour party for spending money on introducing wheelie bins while the rest of the town is neglected.

The Conservative group at Darlington Borough Council released a joint statement criticising Labour’s decision to spend around £1m on wheelie bins and leaving the town’s assets to “tarnish for the sake of quick cash”.

The wheelie bins are due to be introduced in June next year at a cost of more than £300,000 a year.

However Tory councillors argue the wheelie bins “change nothing” and the money should be used to stop the deterioration of a number of the town’s landmarks, including the town hall, Edward Pease House and the Covered Market.

In the statement they say money needs to be invested in Edward Pease House, behind the market square, where “displaced and dirty paving make walking an experience” and the water fountain no longer works.

They also state the town hall “looks and feels tired” with dirty windows, some of which do not work, and lifts that no longer work.

Tory councillor, Charles Johnson, said: “If you walk around the town the assets are deteriorating because they are not being maintained, they are being sold off for quick cash. It is just not good enough.

“The money they are spending on wheelie bins could go an awful long way to upgrade these buildings.”

The opposition councillors also say that after Labour closed the last council-owned public toilets on East Row, life has been made particularly difficult for elderly people and families with children, with some people being put off visiting the town entirely.

Councillor Alan Coultas said: “Residents and visitors to Darlington do not have access to the most fundamental of facilities and we are seeing the deterioration of some of the most important public assets.

“It is dreadful management, these people are supposed to be looking after these buildings.”

Leader of the council, Bill Dixon, admitted the town hall does require a huge amount of maintenance, but not having wheelie bins would not raise the kind of money that needs to be spent on it.

He said: “We are talking millions of pounds to repair it.

“If they have got anything to say it is a pity they didn’t say it at the full council meeting, but if you haven’t got any policies of your own, it is easier to rubbish someone else’s.”