AN auditor is due to quiz senior figures at Worcester City Council tomorrow about claims that several councillors have wasted public funds.

Councillor David Barlow, the leader of the Labour group, promised last Friday to alert the district auditor, David Rigg, about the aborted Millennium Quayhead scheme.

Nine members of the policy and resources committee voted in July to axe a project to install fibre-optics in the quayside.

According to council officers the decision has cost the authority more than £40,000.

The council had also allocated £7,000 donated by Worcester millionaire Cecil Duckworth.

"I've had a long discussion with the auditor and he is going to meet the city solicitor and the council's head of finance," said Coun Barlow.

Coun Barlow hoped the Audit Commission could take action against the eight Conservatives and one Independent who had voted to scrap the Millennium Quayhead scheme.

The councillors have asked officers to draw up revised plans after hearing of delays to the project.

Coun Barlow hoped they could be judged "financially incompetent" - and penalised by being billed for the £47,000 or even being removed from office under the Audit Commission Act 1998.

"But the Commission's powers are limited and unless councillors have gone against legal advice it's difficult for the AC to act," admitted Coun Barlow, who led the city council prior to the May elections this year.

He has tabled a motion for next Tuesday's full council, accusing the nine councillors of "reckless indifference" when casting their vote.

Coun Francis Lankester, one of the most outspoken critics of the scheme, remained defiant and dismissed threats of legal action as "political manoeuvring".

"The Quayhead scheme was a piece of tat," said the Conservative.

Coun Mike Layland, the Independent member who had voted against the millennium artwork, said Coun Barlow "should know better".

"The man's an idiot," said Coun Layland.

"He just can't accept the fact he's no longer leader of the council."