A LEADING Tory has refuted claims her party knows “the price of everything and the value of nothing” in a row over charity cuts.

Councillor Katrina Wood has hit back at accusations from Wycombe Labour as the clash between the parties on funding to voluntary groups continued.

The Cabinet Member for Community said the scathing critique from Labour's Leader at Wycombe District Council, Cllr Victoria Groulef, failed to paint the full picture.

She stressed Tories do care about charitable organisations and are doing “the best we can” amidst financial struggles.

Last month Cllr Groulef accused the council of “knowing the price of everything and the value of nothing with their disproportionate cuts to local charities”.

But Cllr Wood rebutted this, saying: “This year we have awarded over £600,000 in grants to voluntary bodies.

“We haven't just decided to reduce funding willy nilly. Some we have reviewed how we fund them based on usage, not only by WDC, but by residents and that's the case with the Wycombe Racial Equality Council.”

Cllr Groulef highlighted the fact WREC had its budget slashed from £70,000 to £10,000.

Cllr Wood said a new, more efficient, county wide service provided jointly with other councils in Bucks – focusing on issues other than just race, more in line with equality legislation – was now in place.

WREC were involved in discussions, she added.

She pointed out some of Labour's other examples, such as the Citizens Advice Bureau have opted for three year grants instead of one.

CAB got £161,184 last year, compared to £153,280 this year, with this figure to “tapered a bit over next two years”, Cllr Wood said, adding this was CAB's choice.

She said this gave groups more stability and enabled them to forward plan more easily.

She also pointed out Relate's 50 per cent cut amounted to £1,000 instead of £2,000.

Cllr Wood said: “It's a difficult world out there at the moment for everybody.

“We do the best we can and we are very keen to continue supporting local charities and organisations as much as we can.

“We look at everything on a case by case basis.”

Labour claimed that David Cameron's vision of the Big Society – aimed at aiding voluntary groups – was being put 'in reverse'.

But Cllr Wood responded: “We are very much behind the Big Society. It's not just expecting Local Government to supply everything for everybody, which I think is more of a Labour point of view. “From a Conservative point of view we want to find ways we can help them as well as funding.”