TOWN Hall cash should be split equally across all of Bolton’s communities, according to the town’s most senior Conservative. Tory leader Cllr John Walsh has challenged a Labour decision to give more money to the most deprived areas in the borough.

Cllr Walsh said it risks leaving the poorer parts of affluent areas behind.

He now plans to ask for a full debate on the issue on Monday.

From April last year to March, 2011, the council spent £1.3 million on neighbourhood management, which paid for area forums, activities for under-18s, volunteers support and minor road repairs.

Spending cuts mean only £842,000 can be spent on this between this April and next March.

In July, the Executive agreed to give more cash to deprived parts of the borough. Bromley Cross stands to get £8,125 while Breightmet will receive £51,158.

Cllr Walsh has “called in” the decision, so it will be discussed at a Bolton Council scrutiny meeting on Monday.

He said: “Councillors from all parties accept the budget has been reduced, but we disagree over how the money should be divided up.

“Everyone pays their taxes, so why should some people miss out?

“Money should simply be allocated according to which area has the most residents.”

Cllr Walsh will ask councillors at the meeting to trigger a full debate at the Executive meeting on Monday, September 5. Bolton Council leader Cllr Cliff Morris said: “The Conservatives think they should get more money in some of their wards. “Their government has cut the funding.”

He said Conservatives should call in their government for the £60 million cut out of Bolton’s budget rather than the allocation of funding.