A POLITICAL row has erupted over the funding announcement for the controversial Western Link.

In April, transport secretary Chris Grayling confirmed the Government will put £142.5 million towards the project, with Warrington Borough Council to contribute £70.2 million.

The highway would connect the A56 Chester Road with the A57 Sankey Way in Great Sankey.

The announcement was hailed by parish councillor Andy Carter, Tory parliamentary candidate for Warrington South.

But senior figures at the Labour-run council were angered over not being given notice in advance.

During the full council meeting on Monday, Cllr Steve Parish (LAB – Chapelford and Old Hall) raised the matter with Cllr Hans Mundry (LAB – Latchford East), cabinet member for transport.

He asked: “Can the cabinet member for transport say how and when he learned that the Government was going to fund the Western Link?

“Does he think it is appropriate that the secretary of state for transport should make it a party political issue by telling the prospective Conservative parliamentary candidate for the constituency before he told the current MP or the council?”

In response, Cllr Mundry said: “I can confirm that it is correct that the prospective Conservative parliamentary candidate for the Warrington South constituency was told before both the current Warrington South MP and the council.

“I can also confirm that the council had no advance warning of this decision.

“I find it hard to understand how somebody who had very little to do with the process can try to claim so much credit.

“I am sure that the residents of Warrington will not be so easily fooled by this sort of underhand activity.”

The comments have sparked a response from Mr Carter.

The politician says he is surprised Cllr Mundry and Cllr Parish haven’t got ‘more pressing issues’ to deal with.

Mr Carter added: “If that’s the most important issue for our elected councillors to be discussing at a full meeting of the council you can understand why people are so fed up with Warrington Labour.

“It seems to me that it is in fact Labour who are hell bent on political point scoring.

“I just want to look to the future and work with the Government to ensure infrastructure projects which will benefit residents across Warrington are delivered, whereas all Labour are concerned about is who found out about the scheme first.”