LOVE Ledbury, the group responsible for the running of Bye Street toilets, has been asked to pay back part of the grant money from Ledbury Town Council.

Cllr Liz Harvey, a trustee of Love Ledbury, has called the process "a witch hunt" and she said the toilets were being used "as a political football".

A grant of £7,400 was paid to Love Ledbury in 2014 and town councillors say that, under the terms of the grant, any money left over should have been paid back within one year.

The total amount that Love Ledbury will be asked to pay back is still to be determined; but Cllr Liz Harvey, a Love Ledbury trustee, acknowledged at a full town council meeting last week that the group still held £2.000 from the grant "set aside for signage and sponsorship display material".

She said: "We agree we did not keep in sight the council's requirement that the money should be spent in a year."

However, Cllr Harvey, speaking from the public seats during the public participation session, before leaving the meeting with fellow Love Ledbury trustees, Cllr Andrew Harrison and Cllr Nick Morris, said the issue of Bye Street toilets was being used "as a political football", due to "the petty spite and vindictiveness of a few councillors", and she called the scrutiny of Love Ledbury "a witch hunt".

Cllr Harvey, who also revealed that Love Ledbury was in the process of being registered as a charity, under the title of the Ledbury and District Community Benefit Society Limited, said: "We continue to maintain that we, at all times, have acted in the best interests of the town and in the spirit in which the grant was applied for and was originally given. We consider that we have used the grant in an honourable manner."

The grant was approved "for the procurement of coin operated locks and advertising/sponsorship signage".

The signage is yet to appear, and Cllr Harvey highlighted a number of other issues with the Bye Street toilets.

She said: "The coin locks have been fitted to only half the number of doors originally applied for in the grant."

She added: "We have sought to address inherited and persistent faults with the doors and locking mechanisms," and she said there were other faults with the building, including its lighting.

Because the specific amount of funds "alleged not to have been spent" had not been provided to councillors or Love Ledbury, Cllr Harvey called for a motion calling for the return of unspent grant money to be deferred.

And Cllr Nina Shields, before the vote, also called for the motion to be deferred.

But the vote went ahead and the motion was carried.

Cllr Annette Crowe said: "The grant was for one year, I think we've been patient enough. You can't hold back £2000 for potential signage. This is taxpayers' money. If it is not being used properly, it needs to be returned."

Cllr Martin Eager said: "There's no reason why they can't return the unspent part of the grant money and then re-apply. In order to keep everything above board, that's the way we have to go."

Cllr Keith Francis said Love Ledbury could have had the terms of the grant extended, but did not ask for this.

He said: "For two and a half years, Love Ledbury did not approach us at all for a variance in the terms of the grant."

Cllr Elaine Fieldhouse said: "The loos are a good thing, but this needs to be done properly."