Tories accuse council of wasting £1.3 million on admin in Bilston market regeneration scheme

She also repeated group leader Councillor Simon Bennett's criticisms of a similar scheme in Wednesfield, saying £1.2 million of a £3.2 million levelling-up grant had been spent before a spade had been put in the ground.

But Councillor Stephen Simkins, leader of the council, said the Tories "need a lesson on how construction projects are delivered".

Councillor Dalton said the money had been allocated to be spent on the towns themselves, not administration. 

She said: “While Councillor Simkins insists there is no ‘missing million,’ the real question is why over a quarter of the entire budget - £1.2 million— is being spent on developing and delivering the scheme rather than on actual improvements.

"Residents deserve to see this money making a real difference on the ground, not being swallowed up by administrative costs and consultancy fees."

Councillor Bennett said the final dates of both the Bilston and Wednesfield projects had their dates delayed on three occasions, with the Wednesfield scheme originally scheduled for completion in the second half of 2024.

"Council documents were quietly changed to update it to the first quarter of 2025, which has now since lapsed and we are now delayed again, with no sign of work beginning."

Councillor Simkins defended the council's actions, saying it needed expert advice and contractors to deliver the schemes.

"Regeneration projects like these cannot simply be drawn on the back of a fag packet and delivered at the drop of a hat," he said.

“It’s obvious to me that Councillors Bennett and Dalton need a lesson on how construction projects are delivered in the real world - otherwise they will continue to mislead the public.

“Councils have to rely on industry experts and contractors to deliver schemes like these. It is standard for projects like this to allocate approximately 70 per cent of the budget on construction and 30 per cent on delivery to manage potential risks."

But Councillor Bennett said it was becoming a recurring theme, with projects going over timescale, often at great expense to the taxpayer.

"The public has a right to know where their money is being spent, and this wasn't made clear and transparent," he said.

"Does the public think that up to a third of a project's budget is an acceptable amount to spend on a project before any material benefit has been recognised? I certainly don't, but residents will be the judge of that."

Councillor Simkins said the breakdown of how the budget would be spent was agreed by then Conservative MPs Jane Stevenson and Stuart Anderson as part of the City Investment Board.

“The council and investment board have always committed to delivering both schemes by no later than March 2026.

“Work will start on site in Wednesfield next month, and the Bilston project is well underway and will be completed by March 2026. Everything we do is open and transparent as everyone on the project board, including the MPs, will agree.”