A ROW has erupted over the appearance of massive roadside banners across the Royal Borough proclaiming the success of the Conservative controlled council - only months before elections are due to be held held.

Cllr Wisdom Da Costa - who represents Clewer North ward in Dedworth as an Independent - said: “This is a political stunt in the run up to the council elections. People are not happy that their money is being spent on this.”

The banners each carry a proud boast - such as the fact that the borough has the lowest council tax outside London and that nine out of 10 of its schools are rated good or outstanding.

Some of the claims are directly challenged by opposition councillors but Cllr Da Costa believes that people are angry at the fact the banners have been put up at all. He said: “Residents are very unhappy at the political message being presented, the waste of their money at a time of austerity when funding pressure seems to constrain the services.”

Colette Malloy describes it as ‘a totally irresponsible waste of funds’ and says anyone responsible should fund the money.

But the Royal Borough’s deputy leader and cabinet member for highways Cllr Phill Bicknell defended the banners, which he said would give people driving through the borough from other areas a sense of how successful it was.