Warwick District Council's Conservative leaders had decided to set up a group of new members, bankrolling their 'fresh thinking' on how to improve the district from £60,000 of the authority's reserves.

But the proposal received fierce criticism and the Liberal Democrat group refused to join in.

And at Tuesday night's scrutiny committee meeting the matter was sent back to full council for another look.

Liberal Democrat leader Coun Alan Boad had said: "This is fundamentally wrong and we want no part in it.

"We know there are going to be budget difficulties. Just because you've got a spare £60,000 doesn't mean you have to spend it.

"There will be no contingency resources next year - cuts will have to be made and there will be nowhere to run.

"Why on earth would you squander the money when you don't even know what you want to do with it?"

Coun Boad suggested Coun Doody had initially aimed to tap only the ideas of new Conservative members, before the proposal was widened out in a rethink.

Likening the Conservative group to "ferrets fighting in a sack" He accused his Tory opposite of trying to settle disquiet in the ranks by "buying off" newcomers.

That met with a flat denial from Coun Doody, who had "hoped the Liberals would change their mind".

He claimed the resulting projects would be "for the betterment of the whole district" and help new councillors settle in and learn the processes.

He added: "I agree there is not much money, and this was the most it was reasonable to put forward. It doesn't mean it will all be spent.

"When we took over the council a few years ago, the cupboard was bare because the Liberal Democrats had wilfully misspent. Now they have the audacity to complain."

He also said that by speaking out at Tuesday night's appeal, his Liberal Democrat opposite number ran the risk of being hauled up before the standards committee, because his "predetermined views" broke rules of "reasonable debate".

He said: "If you don't want anything to do with it, why call it in to scrutiny?

"This is a great opportunity for all new members, about getting them involved and not just used as vote-fodder."

Coun Boad said: No officers prevented me from speaking. I'll wait and see. I'm not going to be gagged."

The matter will now go before full council next month.