Secret council plans to spend thousands of pounds of taxpayers' cash on wining and dining VIP guests at Colchester United's new ground have been axed.

Colchester Council was planning to splash out about £16,000 on an executive box at the Community Stadium next season, the Gazette can reveal.

Ruling Tories even paid the club a £2,000 deposit before losing power at last month's elections.

The new leadership have ditched the idea after branding it a waste of council taxpayers' cash.

A council spokesman last night confirmed the hospitality plans.

"The previous Conservative administration were very keen on the idea of an executive box at the stadium, because they felt it supported the local team," she said.

"We did put down a deposit, but when the new administration took over, they didn't want to pursue it."

She added: "The council still supports the club and quite a few of our members are season ticket-holders."

Council leader Anne Turrell claimed having an executive box at the stadium would have amounted to a "jolly" for councillors and staff.

She denied the latest move was a snub to the club.

U's fan and Colchester MP Bob Russell said he was astonished by the proposals and claimed "searching questions" needed to be asked.

The council is now holding talks with Colchester United chiefs in a bid to get its money back.

Former Conservative council leader Robert Davidson said the executive box would have been used as a matchday reward for high-performing staff, as well as providing corporate entertainment to promote Colchester to VIP guests, and was being paid for out of the council's wage pot.

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