Cheshire West and Chester Council has approved funding for new padel courts in Ellesmere Port, despite strong opposition from Conservative councillors.

On Wednesday 11 November, the council's cabinet approved a total of £800,000 to secure four new outdoor sports courts at Brio Ellesmere Port.

They will be operated by Brio Leisure and funded through specific borrowing, with future income expected to contribute towards the costs.

However, the decision prompted criticism from local Conservative councillors, who questioned whether the investment represented value for money at a time when the council's latest mid-year financial review forecasts a £10.9m overspend.

They also questioned whether there was sufficient demand for four additional courts, given existing and planned padel facilities in the surrounding area.

Cllr Adrian Waddelove, leader of the Cheshire West and Chester Conservative Group, strongly opposed the plans.

He said: "This is a council forecasting a £10.9m overspend this financial year. Against that backdrop, I ask again, is spending £800,000 of taxpayers' money on four additional padel courts really the priority for this council?

"I would certainly say not."

Cllr Waddelove added that the Conservatives were not opposed to padel itself, but questioned why the investment was being made now, arguing that money should be prioritised towards essential services.

He said: "We are against spending taxpayers' money on what I would say is a luxury item, when so many of our statutory services on this council face financial pressure."

Cllr Hardy also questioned the financial assumptions underpinning the scheme, particularly the proposed average hourly charge of £30, arguing there was insufficient evidence that this would be affordable for local residents.

Labour councillors defended the proposal, arguing that public investment would give the council greater control over pricing, programming and accessibility than privately operated facilities.

Cllr Lisa Denson said the project would help ensure residents in less affluent communities could access popular sports.

She said: "Now I don't know what planet you live on but I live in a ward called Westminster. As a councillor, I certainly can't afford David Lloyd prices and I'm pretty sure most of my residents can't.

"So what are you trying to tell me? That people who live in deprived areas or lower incomes aren't allowed to have access to popular sports that will help their well-being?

"There is so much potential available with this. I think you are crazy."

Cllr Langan also defended the business case, pointing to private court prices of £48 an hour at Ignite Padel at Cheshire Oaks, compared with the proposed average of £30 an hour at Brio.

He described the proposal as a "perfectly reasonable, investor safe proposal", adding that the courts could attract more visitors to the Ellesmere Port leisure site and generate additional income for Brio.

Cllr Pardoe also backed the investment, saying public money should be used for public benefit and arguing that residents in deprived communities should have access to the sport.

He added: "What's wrong with a public body using public money for public good? There isn't anything wrong with that.

"I think in trying to be political, the Conservative group don't see how this makes them look. It's just a mean spirited argument."

Council leader Cllr Louise Gittins defended the wider principle of public investment, as she said: "There's a phrase, isn't there, about knowing the cost of everything and the value of nothing, which I think we should just consider at the moment."

In response, Cllr Waddelove reiterated his concerns about the £800,000 price tag, arguing that the council should be scrutinising spending carefully while other services and infrastructure face financial pressures.

He said: "We are told repeatedly there is not money for gully cleaning, repairs to Chester city walls etc, but yet it turns out the year before the election there does seem to be a magic money tree for some of these nice-to-haves

"The administration seems surprised that the conservative group are scrutinising, holding them to account. That is our job to do it."

A contractor for the £800,000 investment will now be appointed through a tendering process to take the project through the design, planning and construction stages.