A COUNCILLOR has accused Lyme Regis Town Council of illegally 'stealing from the grant system' after funding was allocated for car parking at Woodmead Halls.

At a heated grants meeting last week, Cllr Stan Williams accused the council of starving organisations of funding in favour of a service level agreement (SLA).

In December, councillors agreed £103,510 will be paid out as SLAs, including £25,200 for Woodmead Halls. Cllr Williams said this meant the minor grants funding was restricted to just over £43,000.

"This is stealing in my view from the grant system" he said. "We have a business agreement and the money should come out of the general fund or from the car park fund.

"It certainly shouldn't just be the £40,000 for the people of Lyme to put forward for small organisations as we would have considerably more money. It is quite illegal to use money for part of the business of the toilets at Woodmead Halls. As far as I'm concerned, we're cheating."

Deputy Town Clerk Mark Tredwin dismissed Cllr Williams' claims - stating that the funding is clearly marked as an SLA.

Cllr Mark Gage also hit back, stating that the agreed funding had no bearing on the amount awarded through minor grants.

"Taking it out of here would not increase the amount of money" he said. "This isn't money that is being misused or used illegally in any way, shape or form. It doesn't increase the overall pot that we have available to provide to organisations in this town."

Councillors agreed to meet the funding needs of six organisations identified as in critical need. Money was given to the Citizens' Advice Bureau (£3,000), Axe Valley and West Dorset Ring and Ride (£2,000), Life Education Wessex (£150), Victim Support (£250), Lyme Regis Development Trust (£875) and First Dorset Credit Union (£200).

Funding requests were also met from the Over 70s Christmas Dinner Committee, the Hub Toddlers and Lyme Regis Brownies. Applications were rejected from the Town Mill Trust, resurfacing tennis courts at King George Field, Uplyme - while £500 out of a requested £3,000 will be given to the St George Twinning Association to erect a statue.

Cllr Gage proposed that the remaining organisations be given an equal share of their requests - which would amount of 47 percent.

"We could be here until the early hours because everyone will support some of the applications to some extent" he said. "What I think is a fair way of dealing with this is that we split on a percentage the remaining funds amongst the remaining applications."

Cllr Michaela Ellis disagreed, stating that each case should be heard individually.

Six councillors voted in favour and six against. Cllr S Williams abstained from voting - meaning Mayor Sally Holman's vote in favour passed the proposal.