Gravesham Council has attracted controversy after pledging to fund all its festivals and events this year despite cuts.

Council leader Councillor John Burden announced the commitment at the beginning of 2015, to maintain "much needed free entertainment and fun" despite slashes to local authority funding.

The six-week White Christmas festival, the Riverside Festival and St George's Day are some of the activities which will continue.

However Gravesham Councillor Bryan Sweetland blasted the announcement as he claimed the council tax increases are paying for the events and funds would be better placed elsewhere.

Coun Burden said: "Our New Year resolution is to carry on supporting and organising the programme of popular free events throughout the year.

"We consider activities like the hugely successful six-week White Christmas festival, the Riverside Festival and its free concert on the promenade, St George's Day and many others have become a vital part of the community and provide much needed free entertainment and fun.

"Local government has faced, and continues to face, many financial challenges and it would be all too easy to slash the funding that provides those sorts of optional events."

He added: "Festivals and parades have become part of the calendar in Gravesham and they help provide the glue which keeps the community together.

"We will continue to work with the many local organisations and businesses to ensure they continue to enrich the borough."

However Coun Sweetland criticised the announcement and said money would be better spent on free weekend parking.

He told News Shopper: "The council has increased our council tax every year for the last four years while other councils like Dartford have frozen their council tax.

"What residents living in the outer or rural areas of Gravesham must understand is that this is their hard earned council tax money that is being spent on these so called 'free' events."

"I am not against all of these events but I would like to see council tax money being spent on providing initiatives like all year free weekend parking for shoppers in Gravesend, which would have a much greater impact on supporting the town centre.

"The council should also be clear how much council tax money is being spent on certain activities and are they proving good value for money.

"For example, the subsidy for the Woodville is now running at over £10,000 a week - is this money well spent?"

Gravesham Council has been faced with a reduction in central government funding of around 38 per cent over five years - a total of £2.9m since 2010/11.

The council's budget for the next financial year will be endorsed by cabinet in February and go to full council on February 24.