MORE than £90,000 of Preston Council tax payers' money will be sunk into a range of community regeneration schemes.

A further £96,000 will go towards environment schemes and £79,400 for leisure services including £10,000 for public toilets at the Harris Museum.

At a crucial and tempestuous budget meeting last week, councillors earmarked eight different areas to receive a share of a £500,000 cash handout.

The council's housing committee will get a £34,000 cash boost, £67,100 will go on policy and resources items and £2,500 has been set aside for repair work to the Cenotaph.

Although the three parties were split over exactly how to spend the money, the council's plan was voted through by the ruling Labour group without debate.

Scenes of confusion ensued after Labour's Valerie Wise called for an immediate vote on the spending programme, a move seconded by Coun Harold Parker and backed by a show of hands.

While both opposition parties' proposals had been debated and defeated, tempers became frayed over points of order and the Mayor, Coun Rose Kinsella, struggled to keep order. Liberal Democrat leader Bill Chadwick and Conservative leader Joe Hood accused Labour of stifling democracy. Council leader Peter Rankin said he regretted the sudden closure of the meeting.

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