COUNCIL bosses accused of being "morally wrong" for allocating housing funds on improving the Civic Centre have defended their plans.

The opposition Conservative group at Gravesham Council criticised proposals to put £876,000, raised through the right-to-buy council house scheme, towards a £5m modernisation of the Civic Centre, Windmill Street, Gravesend.

Tories say this money should be spent on repairs to council tenants' homes.

But the Labour group says improvements should go ahead as planned because they will make the council offices accessible to the whole community.

The Civic Centre and Woodville Halls Theatre will get a complete makeover, including new offices and facilities for officers and councillors, a new reception area with information points and better disabled access.

The Conservative group tried to block the spending plans at a budget meeting last week.

It says if money comes out of housing funds it should be spent on tenants.

But the group's amendment to the budget, attempting to block the move, was out-voted.

Conservative leader Councillor Mike Snelling says the council cannot afford to sacrifice this money if it remains in control of its council house stock.

Cllr Snelling added: "It's morally wrong to plug the gap in the budget if you are taking money which should be spent on council houses."

Council tenants have been given the final say on whether the borough sells off its stock to a housing association, with a vote in early Spring.

It has been revealed it would cost the council £26.2m to bring its properties up to required Government standards.

Labour councillors defended the plans to spend the money on the revamp at the meeting .

Council leader Councillor John Burden said: "The IT systems are failing and we have asbestos in the building, which endangers all our lives.

"We should let the community have this building back."

Councillor Lee Croxton added: "I don't think any council buildings are quite as bad as this. Most councils invest in providing quality services for the public."

Sally Watson, former chairman of the Tenants' Forum based in Gravesham, said: "How dare they spend money on doing up their own offices.

"They say it's for the good of the people but people are more interested in their homes than the Civic Centre.

"We have original kitchens, built in the 1960s. That is how old they are."