COUNCILLORS have objected to plans for an all-party delegation to protest to the Government about a £3m cut in funding.

Redcar and East Cleveland Borough councillors on Wednesday called on Redcar MP Vera Baird and Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland MP Ashok Kumar to join them in a lobby to Local Government Minister Phil Woolas in the New Year.

It followed news that the borough would be getting £1.5m less than it expected - because the Government overestimated the district's population.

It will also lose £1.8m which has been syphoned off by a Government scheme to subsidise shortfalls in funding to councils in the South.

Councillors said the cutback in Government funds was a stab in the back and planned an all-party delegation to strike a better deal.

But the council's ruling coalition group yesterday outlined their concerns and demanded the issue be explored locally.

Leader of Redcar and Cleveland Labour group Councillor George Dunning said he had not had a briefing about the planned deputation.

He said: "Before anyone starts boarding the London train, we need to know where we stand locally, given that on December 6 we were advised, via the media, that Redcar and Cleveland had potentially the highest increase in cash allocation of the Tees Valley authorities.

"I'm now calling on the political and professional leaders of the council to brief us fully of the situation before committing us to trip to London with various cabinet members and chief officers.

"We should also be discussing this further with our local MPs before heading off to London for the day."