RIVAL councillors crossed swords over a number of issues at last week's full council meeting.

Conservative leader Nick Botterill clashed with Labour counterpart Stephen Cowan over Earls Court, the Boris Bike expansion and the authority's tax affairs.

Mr Cowan made a last ditch plea to the council to reconsider its plans to sell off the West Kensington and Gibbs Green Estates to rebuild Earls Court in what Mr Botterill described as one of the 'greatest regeneration schemes in London's history'.

The Labour leader repeated claims that the consultation into the scheme had been 'botched' and said estate residents - nearly 900 of which will be moved if the plans get permission - should have been offered a vote.

"If you were really confident in this project you would held a ballot. But you were frightened so you botched the consultation and you have been underhand about this from the first minute. We will stand side by side with residents and fight this all the way."

Housing boss Andrew Johnson retorted that thousands of new homes, jobs, better transport links and new school would make the project one of the 'biggest in Western Europe'.

Next, Labour attacked the council's 'incompetence' over its tax arrangements after it was revealed it may have to pay back £1m due to 52 of its staff incorrectly being treated as self-employed. Mr Cowan said the council hid the blunders from the public by omitting to include them in a report of its finances and called the authority 'tax evaders'.

Mr Botterill said 23 of the consultants had been school employees, including sports coaches, therapists and a teenage pregnancy advisor, and called the claims a 'storm in a teacup'.

"No one in this council acted dishonestly or in anything other than good faith," he said.

The question of extending the cycle hire scheme through the borough was next on the agenda. More than 1,000 bikes will be introduced next year at a cost of £2m, which the council says will be provided by developers.

But Mr Cowan said the money should be spent on improving frontline services. "We are not against the bikes but the main sponsors, Barlcay's, should be footing the bill. The council should go back to Boris Johnson and demand a better deal."

Conservatives said the conduct of the opposition was 'deplorable'.

The authority finished the meeting by reiterating its opposition to the expansion of Heathrow.