A council which has admitted it has dragged its feet on providing land for gypsy and traveller sites is to spend £30,000 on specialist housing expertise so it can provide 87 new sites.

Mendip District Council Deputy leader, Nigel Woollcombe-Adams, said that the council had dragged its feet on the provision, and that if nothing was done then the problem of sites for travellers was only going to get worse.

Mendip hopes to get a slice of £4.5 million in government funding for the sites by spending the cash over the next 18 months.

Mendip cabinet heard Mr Woollcombe-Adams say that while some councillors might be hoping that a future change in government might also mean a change in the law,

any new administration was unlikely to make changes in legislation over the provision of gypsy sites a top priority.

Cllr John Parham said: "I am unable to support spending money on people who continually break the planning laws and who fail to support the local economy."

But he added later that if the decision was the will of cabinet, then he supported it.

Cllr Ron Forest said he shared the reluctance of the cabinet to spend the money, and said he felt as though the council was being held over a barrel, and suggested spending £20,000 instead.

An opposition councillor accused cabinet members of discriminating against gypsies after the comments.

Lib Dem councillor Damon Hooton spoke out at the full cabinet meeting and accused cabinet members of discriminating against gypsies.

He said: "To quibble over £30,000 for specialist help on this issue is mean.

"I support the stance and ask that you vote in favour of the proposal."

Cllr Maureen Brandon said she felt the money would be an investment for the future.

After the meeting Cllr Hooton said: "I fully support the funding bid as the work of the councillors involved has been thorough and well thought out.

"However I was appalled by the way some members of Cabinet spoke about gypsies and travellers, they were discriminatory and opened themselves up to an accusation of bias.

"This kind of attitude does not solve the problems we have in our society."

Six councillors voted in favour of the proposal.

An external expert will be employed three days a week over the next 18 months to carry out the work.