THE saga of the long-awaited Teignmouth bus shelters flared into a major political slanging match at a town council meeting.

Some members were annoyed that only a few councillors were informed by the clerk, Dave Tickell, that a new shelter earmarked for the Eastcliff coach station had been switched to Kingsway, where there was a greater need.

Pressed to reveal which members he had contacted about the change of priority, Mr Tickell said it was Cllrs Dave Matthews and June Green for west ward, and Cllrs Sylvia Russell and Vince Fusco in east – all Conservatives.

A furious Cllr Don Baldey (Lib-Dem) declared: 'We've got a Tory town clerk only contacting Tories.'

Mr Tickell maintained he was independent of politics, and briefed members who popped into his office.

Cllr Baldey described this as 'absolute rubbish', and said the clerk should inform all members, or none at all.

Cllr Paul Burgess (Lib-Dem) maintained it was 'not democratically fair' only to consult ward members 'who happened to be Tories.' It could be construed as favouritism.

West ward member Cllr David Cox (Lib-Dem) said he had been embarrassed by not being told what was happening.

'The public might construe this that Tories are being given information to provide them with an electoral advantage,' he said.

Shelters have been promised for two years, and it was announced that the structure for Kingsway is due to be erected on Tuesday and the Eastcliff one in January.

West Teignmouth councillor Ian Parkes (Lib-Dem) protested that he had not been informed of this by the clerk, and only learned about it on Facebook.

He complained bitterly about the long delay, and said it was 'absolutely disgusting that the blind and disabled were forced to wait at Eastcliff in the pouring rain and cold of the last few days'.

Cllr Parkes lambasted the clerk for making 'excuse after excuse' about why the two shelters had not been put in place, especially as funds were available.

Mr Tickell said the Eastcliff shelter, which was due to go up first, had been switched to Kingsway where there are more people waiting for buses.

He pointed out there were a lot of complications that held up the projects.

The chairman of the finance and general purposes committee on Tuesday, Cllr Sylvia Russell (Con) agreed that the shelter saga had been 'a shambles', and not dealt with in the way it should have been.

'I have been frustrated as well, and can only apologise. The clerk does have some questions to answer. He should have informed all members. It has been a real mess – something we have not been able to get a handle on.'

Cllr Terry Falcao (Lib-Dem) called for a vast improvement in the channels of communication within the council, which he described as 'dysfunctional'. All councillors should be informed of matters, not just the 'select few'.

'Communications should not depend on councillors popping into the clerk's office. He can email or phone everybody.'

Mr Tickell accepted that mistakes had been made and he would take on board the criticism.