FERNDOWN’S deputy mayor believes his town is getting a raw deal when it comes to funding from district bosses.

The town council’s number two, Jason Lawford, says grants to neighbouring Wimborne and Verwood – to bankroll community initiatives – have dwarfed payouts made to Ferndown over the past decade.

And he says the knock-on effect is that Ferndown is starting to suffer, with the town centre falling into disrepair in places.

Cllr Lawford believes East Dorset District Council has granted funds equivalent to just 86p per Ferndown resident from 1998 to 2008.

According to his study, based on figures obtained under the Freedom of Information Act, this compares to £19.45 for Wimborne and £58.96 for Verwood’s citizens during the same period.

He says the district has splashed out £8,573,281 on Verwood, £1,785,082 on Wimborne, but just £159,115 on Ferndown over the same ten year period.

But East Dorset District Council’s (EDDC) chief executive Alan Breakwell stressed: “Dividing the money spent on an area-by-area basis is misleading and of little use.”

He explained: “Ferndown has received significant capital support, for example through the funding of its community centre. However, Verwood’s population has increased rapidly in recent decades, with a population now comparable to Ferndown.

“This increase has brought with it a need to improve infrastructure.”

Ferndown Town Council’s mayor Lesley Dedman has distanced herself from her deputy, saying Cllr Lawford broke town council protocol by contacting the Daily Echo without conferring with council members.

In a statement she said: “Whatever the views stated, they cannot properly be taken as the views of Ferndown Town Council.” Meanwhile, Cllr Lawford said he appreciates Verwood is a growing town, but fears Ferndown is beginning to suffer from the ongoing lack of investment.

He said: “The dated and tired town centre has a layer of grime, the street furniture is worn and lacking style, the plant boxes have been falling apart for a long time and we have had a promise that we will see action by Easter.

“But this is only for them to take away and make good, not to improve or update.”

He wants improvements to changing facilities at the King George’s Field, and says Stapehill Village Hall is calling out for a cash injection.