A SENIOR Stratford District Councillor dismissed the two latest furious onslaughts against the Conservative administration, saying no improper action had been taken.

Coun Chris Saint said comments made by Lib Dem councillor Peter Moorse about a budget increase for councillors allowances and by independent councillor Cyril Bennis on a "secret" meeting were both misconstrued.

Decisions made by the Conservative-led council have come under fire in recent months after a decision was made to increase Council Tax by 10% and allegations of over-secrecy were made.

Coun Morse said his week he was furious with last week's management committee decision to allow the £75,000 hike in allowances - particularly when a Lib Dem proposal to employ a member of staff to help pensioners claim grants for draft proofing was rejected.

"It seems that the Tories prefer to fill their own pockets rather than help pensioners get adequate insulation for their homes. It's an absolute disgrace," he said.

Coun Saint countered that the rise was necessary to cover the increased cost of new local government structures.

He said the new executive committee that would be established would need increased expenses because of the extra time members would invest into the role.

He added: "we are withdrawing the £20 allowance members get for attending meetings until an independent body that will be set up to look at the issue, has made a decision."

Meanwhile, coun Bennis launched a furious assault on coun Saint and his colleagues, coun Bob Stevens and coun Chris Williams, for holding a meeting with the owners of Stratford Cattle Market to discuss the possibility of moving the Alcester Road market site onto land at the Wildmoor.

"I must question their judgement in attending this meeting, which also involved a developer and council officers," he said.

Coun Bennis claimed final decisions were made over the future of the Cattle Market site, which could be redeveloped to house the new district council headquarters, and guarantees were made to the developer, which he said was not democratic.

"By doing so, they have irrevocably prejudiced themselves and all elected council members in any future consideration given to this application at the planning committee stage,"

However, coun Saint denied any decision over the market's future had been confirmed and it was merely a get-together to discuss a number of possibilities for the future of both the Cattle Market and Wildmoor sites.

"There is nothing unusual about this meeting," he said. "No decisions or commitments were made and no planning applications have even been made yet."