Rent paid by the borough’s two food banks to occupy council owned premises has become a political battleground.

Opposition Labour councillors believe the £12,000 annual bill paid by the food banks should have been eliminated from the council’s 2014/15 budget, which kicks in this month (April), by reducing management costs in Cheshire West and Chester Council and the council’s £1m budget for marketing.

But the Tory-controlled administration points out it has to maintain the buildings and the rent bill has been reduced by grants from ward councillors and from the council itself.

The food banks serve people in Ellesmere Port and Neston, Chester and Mid Cheshire, distributing food to those in need.

Labour leader and Ellesmere Port Town ward borough councillor Justin Madders said: “It is a disgrace that this rent is being charged by the council.

“When it became clear last year that the council were charging the Ellesmere Port food bank £5,000 rent, I thought the public outrage at the time would have meant they would have stopped that by now.

“Instead we have them now charging the Northwich and Winsford food bank as well.

“But what is worse, it is now clear that many councillors are providing essential funding from their community budgets, while at the same time the council is removing £12,000 of much-needed funds from the food banks by charging rent.

“We have the ludicrous situation of this Tory council ‘robbing Peter to pay Paul’, giving with one hand and taking it back with another.

“It’s nothing short of scandalous.”

The council’s resources portfolio holder, Cllr Les Ford (Con), rejects Labour’s approach.

He points out the proposals in the council’s budget were widely consulted upon and at no time food bank rents were referred to as a specific issue by the public.

“Every councillor has their member budget grant funding to target genuine issues within their ward,” he explained.

“If residents in some wards make use of food banks and the member believes it to be a priority then they can support it financially.

“This is delegated powers to ward members and ensures that decisions are made as close to the needs of residents as possible.

“As a result a number of members have donated to the food banks and in doing so help to cover the costs of rent.

“Both are registered charities and as such do not pay businesses rates.”

He argues the council has ‘a good working relationship’ with both food banks which are supported both by the council itself, which has made £5,000 grants to each and its staff through food donations.

When negotiating the rental, the charities were advised the council has a legal obligation to get the best value for its tax payers from its property assets and keep the buildings maintained.

Cllr Ford also points out the council does not profit from the rent which goes towards the running costs of the premises.