LABOUR have been accused of “abusing public money” by using council resources to send out hundreds of letters in the build-up to the elections.

Conservative opponents have accused the party of spending almost £6,000 on letters, with almost 3,000 sent out about a campaign they say Labour had “nothing to do with”.

Labour leader Simon Letts accused his rivals of desperate hypocrisy, saying the Tories also use the letters “extensively.”

Figures seen by the Daily Echo show 5,955 letters were sent out to residents on behalf of councillors by council contractor Capita in March and April.

Of them, 2,926 were sent to people in Shirley ward, 1,041 to Bevois, 1,020 to Freemantle and 968 to Woolston.

Each letter costs £1 to send out.

Most of the letters were sent after purdah had begun, the period before an election where councils are prevented from making announcements that may be advantageous to candidates.

The city will go to the polls on May 5 to elect a third of city councillors in a poll that has been described as a “knife-edge” election by a Labour source.

One council seat in each of four wards to receive the controversial letters are up for election.

Letters sent to Shirley residents on behalf of the ward’s three Labour councillors give an “update” to residents on the future of St Jude’s Church in Shirley Warren, which the Diocese of Winchester has controversially put up for sale and could become flats.

Conservative group leader Jeremy Moulton described the move as “despicable”, saying that Labour had “nothing to do” with the campaign to save St Jude’s Church.

As previously reported, more than 1,000 residents have signed a petition calling on the Church of England to axe its plans to sell the church in Warren Avenue and on Monday, April 25, gave it to independent Coxford councillor Don Thomas.

Saying it was a "clear attempt to campaign using public resources”, he added: “There’s nothing illegal about it, but in my view it’s morally wrong and an abuse of public money for personal gain.”

He admitted he had sent out about 50 letters regarding fly-tipping and a public clear-up event in his ward of Freemantle, but added: “In my instance there was a big issue of fly-tipping and it was to remind residents that people would clean up through the community payback and to flag up the clear-up event.

“It may have cost £50 but it had a big community benefit.

“But Labour sending the letters out is the height of hypocrisy, they moan about not having enough money for services but at the same time they can find thousands of pounds to publicise a councillor who might also be a candidate.”

Cllr Thomas said: “I think it is a shame and demeans local politics, residents deserve support from their local councillors in community campaigns not this sort of opportunist behaviour on the backs of the very people they are supposed to represent”

Responding to the claims, Cllr Simon Letts said: “This method of communication has been used by councillors of all parties.

"I know that Cllr Moulton has used this method of communication extensively as I have received several letters from him and his colleagues myself.

“He has never complained before or raised this issue in any meeting.

"It is the height of hypocrisy to object to a system of communication which you have used yourself and shows how desperate the Tory party is to claw its way back into power by propagating such deceitful stories.”

Labour has been active in the church campaign, he added.