IT is with sadness that I read a letter sent by a paid CWAC Councillor, Malcolm Gaskill, which was published by the Guardian, describing the Labour Group Of Winsford Town Council as ‘Marxist leaning’ and ‘anti-religious’.

While during an election period it is a fact of life that political parties will try to score points, what is shameful is that these lies were told in an effort to discredit and ruin the integrity of unpaid town councillors who acted on the advice of their town clerk.

When the Churches Together group applied for a grant of £2,000 to the council’s grants committee for its activities, some members of the committee questioned whether this was in order.

Grants to community groups must be given to support a particular project and in accordance with the town council’s policy on grant giving. Legal advice was obtained and this confirmed that public funds could not be spent on religious activities or to repair church premises.

The minutes of the committee and full council confirm the reason why this grant could not be made.

Councillors Julie Savage and Nathan Pardoe have offered to meet with representatives of the Churches Together group to explain what sort of community projects are suitable for public funding from the council. The Churches Together Group will be treated in the same way as any other group who applies to the council for funding.

Councillor Gaskill, although not serving on the grants committee has access to its published minutes, but instead chose to ignore the truth and send his letter.

What he should have done is acknowledge that it is a councillor’s duty to spend public funds after proper scrutiny and in accordance with the law – and this is what has been done in this case. This duty transcends any political party loyalties.

The Labour Group of Winsford Town Council