CONSERVATIVE leadership 'panicked' about a key council vote have accused opposition of acting to waste tax payers money.

Wokingham Borough Council is soon to enter into the second phase of a major restructuring known as the '21st Century Council'.

The project aims to save money by re-organising the council's workforce and introducing more digital self-service for the public.

According to a report released in August 2016 this could save £4.5million as the work of 120 to 150 full time employees or part-time equivalents is made redundant.

Councillor Lindsay Ferris, leader of the Liberal Democrat opposition, will table a motion tomorrow calling for the second phase to be paused.

He said: "What we are suggesting is caution regarding the speed of rollout of the second phase of the 21st century Council programme. If the Council does not get this right then the cost of a failed rollout will be many millions of pounds, plus severe inconvenience to WBC residents.

"WBC is the first unitary council in England to move towards such a restructure. It will therefore be the first council to involve adult social care and education services in such a move. These are vital and complex services to deliver."

The councillor's actions have provoked a strong reaction from the Conservative leadership.

They claim putting Phase 2 on hold for six months, or until a full time chief executive is put in place, would cost £910,000 in missed savings.

Cllr Oliver Whittle, executive member for finance, said: “This motion by our Liberal Democrat opposition is deeply irresponsible.

“It is simply playing political games with taxpayers’ money. Along with my Conservative colleagues, I am calling on opposition leader Cllr Ferris to withdraw his motion, and bring sensible ideas to the table to discuss the implementation of 21st Century Council.”

Cllr Ferris suggested the intervention, which came a day before the meeting, showed the ruling party was nervous of losing a key vote.

He continued: "Regarding the £1M supposed cost, it feels like a figure pulled out of the air and an element of panic.

"I also feel it is an attempt to divert or hide the problems within the project and to bully someone who has raised a level of concern about how a project is being progressed."