LABOUR Party leaflets which claim Conservative councillors wanted to ‘slash the budget’ for Darwen Live have been criticised.
The leaflets are being distributed around the Marsh House ward ahead of the town and borough council by-election following the death of Cllr John Roberts in February.
Cllr Brian Taylor, Labour member and leader of the town council, said the information was included in the leaflet after the Tories said last year they wanted to ‘challenge’ the budget to try and fund a dog warden for the town.
But Cllr Neil Slater, Tory representative on the town council, said the claim was based on ‘outdated’ information.
He said: “I have never at any town council meeting voted to cut the Darwen Live budget and because these leaflets are going round Marsh House it implies that I did.
“We found an alternative method of getting a dog warden for Darwen so we did not need to touch Darwen Live, which we never wanted to do.
“We only ever suggested getting funding from elsewhere for the festival.”
The festival is set to take place from May 28 to May 29.
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