A PARISH council boss has said it is "soul destroying" to hear of councillors handing back unspent money meant for his community.

Steve Bays, Tiptree Parish Council chairman, launched an attack on John Elliott and Derek Loveland, who are both Colchester councillors for Tiptree.

Last year, the pair failed to spend all or some of their £2,000 'locality budget', which is handed to the borough's 51 councillors every year.

Figures obtained by the Gazette show John Elliott (Con) handed back £2,239.23 at the end of 2016/17.

Fellow councillor Derek Loveland (Con) handed back £1,000, having spent £1,000 on helping Tiptree Parish Council develop its neighbourhood plan.

When contacted by the Gazette, Mr Loveland admitted half of his allocation had been handed back and said it was because no community groups had come forward to apply for cash.

Mr Elliott never responded to our calls and emails.

In statement read at a full meeting of the parish council on Monday, Mr Bays said: "It is difficult enough to run a community the size of Tiptree with the limited amount of funds available and to learn that funds for Tiptree were returned back to Colchester Council is a disgrace.

"The simple excuse that people did not make an application is not good enough.

"Surely our councillors have the drive and common sense to seek out deserving causes - after all they are local people and they do know there are lot of people whop would have loved the money."

Mr Bays accused the councillors of "pure laziness" and cited youth groups, ladies' groups and scout groups as examples where the money could have been spent.

He added: "One issue which is probably the most important for Tiptree over the next 20 years is the neighbourhood plan.

"We are constantly applying for funds - this plan will cost thousands and we need to employ policy writers, an urban planner, transport consultants.

"When some of us parish councillors are putting so much time in free of charge to make this happen, it is soul destroying to hear these funds being returned."