A ROW over councillors' expenses has brought cash windfalls for five Kidderminster schools.

Wyre Forest District Council leader Mike Oborski is donating £400 to each school from the £5,000 he has pledged to give away from the civic expenses he is entitled to.

Earlier this year an independent panel's recommendation to increase members' allowances sparked a bitter row and led to the council's Labour leader Jamie Shaw saying he would not be claiming his special responsibility allowance.

Councillor Oborski is making a similar gesture and Comberton First, Lea Street First, Offmore First, St Ambrose and Stourminster schools will each get £400 to buy computer software.

He said: "When I became leader of the council in May this year, my allowances, just like every member of the council, were fixed by an independent panel.

"I made it clear at the time that I would only take 50 per cent of those allowances for personal use.

"I am now keeping my promise to plough back the other 50 per cent into the local community and I will be making further grants later in the current financial year."

Councillor Oborski is a governor of Lea Street and Comberton schools and his wife Fran, who is also a district councillor, is a governor of Stourminster. The other two schools are in the Offmore ward they represent.