FORMER Blaenau Gwent council leader Des Hillman launched an attack on the executive committee, accusing the new leader of approving repairs to the street outside his home when he was responsible for highways.

Cllr Hillman pulled no punches when he continued to target members of the Independent/Labour executive at full council on Thursday.

During members' questions he asked Cllr Mason how much road repairs in Winchestown cost and how they were granted when he was executive member for highways.

Cllr Mason explained that new paths and road resurfacing in Waenfawr and Waun Ebbw Road were completed in two phase, the first being when he was not executive member for that portfolio.

Cllr Mason said the repairs cost a total of £104,452 and was funded by the WAG Road Maintenance Grant.

Repairs were also carried out in Tredegar, Ebbw Vale and Cllr Hillman's ward of Blaina and all met the criteria for repairs.

Cllr Hillman quipped: "I am sure the people will be grateful that this new road is running in front of Cllr Mason's front door."

Not satisfied with challenging the leader, Cllr Hillman then turned his attention to fellow ward councillor Garth Collier, asking the Neighbourhood Services and Highways executive member why charges for skips and scaffolding had increased by £5 and accused the move as stifling people who were trying to improve their properties.

Cllr Collier said the rates had stayed the same since 1998 and a review found the increase acceptable and would encourage people to speed up repairs.

It was then the turn of Cllr John Rogers to come under fire over meals on wheels charge increases.

Cllr Rogers explained an increase of 20p per meal would off-set the rising cost in fuel which is hitting the service and resulting in a £10,000 overspend.

He maintained the meal charge now at 2.40p is still much lower than neighbouring authorities and there had been no complaints.

But Cllr Hillman said that he knew the leader's budget had an underspend and money should be used from that to offset costs instead of passing it on to service users.

Both the decisions to increase meals on wheels and skip/scaffolding permit charges were made two days after Cllr Hillman's resignation.

However after the meeting, councillors said he would have known about the planned increases as leader before the decisions were agreed and had voiced no objections beforehand.

This was not Cllr Hillman's first outburst this week. At an independent group meeting on Wednesday, sources at the meeting said Cllr Hillman threw 30 5p coins on the table before shouting "here's your 30 pieces of silver" before storming out.