Thousands of pounds not paid in wages to striking Sandwell Council workers who took part in the major public sector walkout last November will be handed out to community groups.

The council is giving community and voluntary organisations the chance to apply for grants from a £15,000 pot of cash.

Around 3,451 council staff, including teachers, took part in the strike in Sandwell on November 30 over pension reforms. The £15,000 is part of the money saved from not paying wages but not the total amount.

Grants will be available for projects in each of Sandwell’s six towns to be used to benefit communities from a one-off Great Ideas Fund set up with the money.

Council leader, Councillor Darren Cooper, said: “We want to give something back to communities.”

But other councils in the region said any money saved would be ploughed back into the authority’s cash pots.

Dudley Council leader Les Jones described the move as a “gimmick”. He said: “We will absolutely not be giving money saved in the public sector strike away – it will go towards paying our bills.”

Simon Warren, Wolverhampton City Council chief executive, said it was discussing how to use the cash.