COUNTY councillor Stan Waddington has been criticised for not supporting town leaders in his ward.


Cllr Waddington failed to attend his last town council meeting as county councillor for Nailsworth, ahead of May's county elections - prompting criticism of his role by town mayor Steve Robinson.


"This would have been his last meeting," said Cllr Robinson at the meeting last Tuesday, April 16.


"Personally I am disappointed that over the last two or three years he hasn't supported us as much as I would have liked, such as with the library and youth centre closures.


"He hasn't stood up for Nailsworth."


The comments come while a row is continuing over how Cllr Waddington should spend the £10,000 allocated for highway improvements in the ward.


Speaking to the SNJ after the meeting, Cllr Waddington, who represents Nailsworth and Minchinhampton for the Conservatives, said: "I am annoyed about these comments.


"All the work I have done and I'm now being castigated over a silly argument.


"What happened with the youth centre happened across the county and there was nothing I could do.


"The library is a pretty good result down to volunteers keeping it open."


Nailsworth Town Council wanted the £10,000 to be put towards a pedestrian crossing on the A46 but Cllr Waddington said the scheme was too expensive.


Some councillors, including the mayor, say they have written to Cllr Waddington asking where the money has been spent but have yet to receive a reply.


Cllr Waddington has now revealed that some of the money has been spent on a scheme on the Cirencester Road in Minchinhampton.


Cllr Waddington is the Conservative candidate for the new seat covering Minchinhampton and Chalford due to boundary changes.


Dorcas Binns, (Conservative) Jo Smith, (Labour and Co-operative Party) Paul McClosken, (Lib Dem) and Uta Baldauf, (Green) will run for the new Nailsworth, Amberley, Woodchester and KingÕs Stanley county division.