Liberal Democrats have hit out at the Tory-run county council spending at least £60,000 on new boundary signs as you enter the county.

‘There was nothing at all wrong with the previous signs, which were actually quite dignified, bearing the county name and the hart,’ said Lib Dem Resources spokesperson Cllr Malcolm Cowan.

‘But they have been scrapped, replaced by some advertising man’s idea of trendy, as “County of Opportunity”. At a time when we are having to economise, this seems a strange priority.’

Malcolm continued: ‘It comes hot on the heels of learning that the county council failed to spend its capital allocation on repairing our roads and footpaths last year – everyone’s number one priority. Maybe too many focus groups choosing a meaningless slogan led to failure to concentrate on key issues.’