A "VINDICTIVE and vexatious" campaign against a councillor meant she was brought before a standards committee in a dispute over £14.99, a party colleague said.

The committee found Lib-Dem councillor Donna Caley, who represents Bradley ward, Nelson, breached the members' code of conduct by commenting on, and voting for a £500 donation to Bradley Young Adults for a trip to Blackpool Pleasure Beach.

She came under fire because she and her teenage daughter went on the day out, using tickets worth £14.99 each.

The trip was organised after teenagers spent two days cleaning the area.

But council leader Alan Davies, who represented Coun Caley at the hearing, said the complaints, made by ex- mayor and Labour group leader Councillor Mohammad Iqbal, were part of a campaign against Coun Caley and the teenagers' group. Coun Davies said: "There is an animosity towards this particular group. This matter is trivial and the complaint vindictive and vexatious."

Coun Caley applied for the cash under the councillors' initiative scheme, which allocated £500 per councillor for a beneficial scheme of their choice.

She discussed the details with executive director (services) John Kirk, but had not been told she needed to declare an interest in the donation, and would have to leave the room when the budget was voted on.

She said: "I never thought I would be here justifying my involve-ment with young people in bringing community support and pride in where we live.

"I think it should be Coun Iqbal sitting here justifying his actions. If I am being investigated for trying to do good then I think there is something drastically wrong."