COUNCILLORS have been getting in a flap about over the cost to taxpayers of an unusual promotional item – a giant plastic duck.

Some members have questioned Stockton Borough Council's decision to shell out for the six-foot duck, which is used for charity events and to promote the town's annual duck race.

Confusion over the true cost of the duck caused a row when several different figures were suggested after it was purchased and the issue was brought up again at a recent full council meeting.

A spokesman for Stockton Borough Council confirmed that the authority made a "human error" when initially releasing information about the cost of the giant duck.

The real cost of the plastic duck was £2,767 –although some of that was offset by private sponsorship.

Conservative councillor Matt Vickers was initially told the duck had cost £5,767, after a council officer made a mistake.

But Cllr Paul Rowling, Labour, said that Conservatives had claimed even higher figures in newsletters, and accused his political opponents of "plucking figures out of thin air".

He added: "Members of the public have brought this to my attention, when knocking on doors and so on, and I have five newsletters which give an incorrect figure.

"The newsletters contain two different figures – one of £6,000 and one of £10,000.

"The £10k figure was used during the by-election (in the Grangefield ward, won by the Conservatives and previously held by Labour). Then then the £6k figure appeared in a September newsletter.

"I was curious about this and made my own enquiries early last month and got the correct figures in a matter of days.

"As I asked the leader, if an avenue is available I am planning to take this further."

Leader of the council's Conservative group, Ben Houchen, said no money at all should have been spent on the duck.

He said: "Anything would be a better use of public money than a giant yellow duck.

"This is the council who have spent tens of millions on the High Street only for few shoppers to use it. There's a campaign to raise £2,000 for a defibrillator on the High Street that could actually save someone's life.

"I don't know where the £10,000 figure came from but, if you remember, they told us it would cost £27,000 to run Fairfield Library, only to then turn round and say it would cost £16,000. We've had three or four different figures on the cost of this duck."

At the full council meeting, Bob Cook, Labour leader of Stockton Borough Council, said the duck had been used to help raise £13,617 for the Mayor's chosen charities.