The Tories in Stoke-on-Trent have hit out at Labour over the way they've dished out some of the council's top cabinet appointments.

The Conservatives claim Labour's plans will cost taxpayers almost £100,000 more over the next four years because they've given out extra roles with special allowances.

Cllr Dan Jellyman said: "If they wanted to make savings, they'd have less cabinet members. A Tory cabinet would have cost the taxpayer £24,000 less per year than a Labour one."

He said it was equivalent to being able to employ an additional member of staff within the council's fly tipping enforcement team.

Labour described the comments as "a bit rich" coming from a party that spent millions of pounds on a car park.

Council leader, Cllr Jane Ashworth, has defended her cabinet appointments (LDR).

Council leader Cllr Jane Ashworth pointed to the size of cabinets at neighbouring councils to show how they vary.

Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council has eight cabinet members, Staffordshire Moorlands District Council also has eight while the Staffordshire County Council has 12.

Stoke-on-Trent City Council had seven cabinet members prior to Cllr Jellyman's resignation as deputy leader, while Labour has appointed nine roles within the new cabinet team.

Cllr Ashworth said: "Frankly we've got an awful lot of work to do to clear up the mess the Conservatives have made.

"We need to get our best brains together to solve the problems of the city."

The Tories also criticised Labour for sending mixed messages by campaigning on potholes and heritage buildings, but then not including them within the titles of cabinet roles.

Cllr Jellyman said: "It's sad to see that Labour have deprioritised highways and heritage.

"It shows Labour's priority for Stoke-on-Trent is not potholes and it's not historic buildings, because if it was they'd be in the title of the cabinet roles.

"No-one knows who the cabinet member for highways is, so no-one is going to take responsibility."

Cllr Ashworth responded: "It's highly superficial to think this matters. There will be people taking those issues extremely seriously.

"I myself will be taking extremely seriously the heritage lead and I'll be supported by Duncan Walker.

Highways matters will be included in deputy leader Cllr Amjid Wazir's brief, and heritage matters fall within Cllr Ashworth's brief – with Cllr Duncan Walker overseeing planning and regeneration as well as climate matters.

Another issue raised by the Tories is the appointment of Cllr Glen Watson to the roles of cabinet support member for community engagement and also chair of the strategy and resources scrutiny committee.

Cllr Dan Jellyman is the new leader of the Conservatives party in Stoke-on-Trent (LDR).

Cllr Jellyman suggested having the two roles would create a conflict of interest, and that it would mean Cllr Watson couldn't chair many of the meetings he's been assigned to.

He said: "Fundamentally you can't be in the cabinet room and then fairly and impartially scrutinise the decisions you already know about.

"How can he chair an overview and scrutiny committee, scrutinising himself?

"All the strategies and all the corporate stuff has community engagement in it – so he won't be able to chair any of the meetings."

Cllr Ashworth said: "It won't conflict. It's entirely within the law, otherwise it wouldn't have been agreed.

"We will protect the council and Glen Watson from any possible conflict of interest as they arise.

"His job will be to focus on communities and engagement, and not on the strategy and policy decisions cabinet will be making."

She said the Conservatives were nit picking, and that Labour was focused on making real change in the city.

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