Row over cash for South Wootton bus shelters

A row has broken out after it emerged that some money which is meant to provide services within Lynn is being used outside the town instead.

Opposition councillors have demanded answers after it emerged that two bus shelters in South Wootton had been included within Lynn's special expenses programme.

The system is designed to ensure funding for services within the town, which does not have a parish council, that would be provided by parishes elsewhere in West Norfolk.

But, during Thursday's West Norfolk Council meeting at Lynn's town hall, Labour leader John Collop questioned why the situation had arisen at all and claimed Lynn residents should not have to accept it.

He said: “We have no say on how special expenses are spent.

"We're not happy that, as King's Lynn people, we're paying for bus shelters in a parished area, which has its own precept. Why should we put up with this situation?”

But deputy leader Elizabeth Nockolds said the issue had been raised at a meeting of the Lynn area consultative committee earlier this month and was being looked into.

She added: “It isn't something we've forgotten. The maintenance of these shelters are not costing us anything.”