COUNCILLORS could be accused of divided loyalties if they are representatives on charity boards, according to a Conservative member of Redditch Council.

And following the collapse of the Redditch Council for Voluntary Services (RCVS), Councillor Antonia Pulsford said the whole issue of personal financial liability should be looked at.

Mrs Pulsford and other councillors who were on the board of the now defunct RCVS may yet have to cough up thousands to help pay off the charity's debts.

Mrs Pulsford said: "It's a very difficult question. Should the council really be placing councillors as representatives on outside bodies when in many cases they are obliged to put the interests of that charity or organisation first? It could create a conflict of interest.

"And then, of course, there are the financial implications," she added.

"If councillors are financially liable in the event a body gets into trouble, should they have to pay?

"If the council has placed those councillors on those bodies should the council use public funds to pay the debts?"

Council Leader David Cartwright said in some cases it was written into charity's constitutions that they can only function with a council representative on the board.

At a full council meeting last week, officers said they would investigate the legal implications of placing members on outside boards.