COUNCIL bosses have been accused of "giving away" taxpayer's assets for free - after a beauty spot heading to the National Trust without a penny changing hands was valued at £75,000.

Your Worcester News can reveal how a move to hand Kingsford Forest Park to the trust was finally allowed to go ahead today, but only after an almighty dispute at County Hall.

Councillor Peter McDonald, Labour group leader, said the authority was creating a "worrying precedent" by handing the park over for free and called for a "open, frank debate" over the principle of the policy among all 57 politicians at the next full county council meeting.

His bid was scuppered during a scrutiny meeting this morning, but instead an investigation is now expected to launch over the council's future role in all of its parks and picnic areas around Worcestershire.

As your Worcester News first revealed in September, the council's Conservative leadership wants to save the yearly £30,000 maintenance costs on the site by giving it to the trust.

Under the terms of the deal the trust cannot introduce parking charges at the attraction for the first three years.

Cllr McDonald, speaking during a meeting of the overview, scrutiny and performance board, said: "This is an asset which is worth £75,000 to this council, and we are giving it away.

"I don't believe for one minute that a sensible decision, to me a precedent is being set here that would allow this council to give away its assets for nothing.

"It has serious consequences, I don't think this council has ever agreed a policy to give away assets for free, this direction of travel has never been discussed."

He said the deal was "taking the mickey" and called for it to be debated at full council.

Conservative Councillor Lucy Hodgson, cabinet member for localism and communities, insisted "soft market testing" had been done which identified the National Trust as the ideal new owner.

"The only organisation to show a detailed interest in Kingsford Park was the National Trust," she said.

She told the panel she felt it was "not reasonable" to allow the parking rule to remain in place for more than three years, and that the "gift" of the land could be justified because of the trust's standing in preserving beauty sites.

“I can’t speak for other areas of the council but it’s very clear that the policy is to sell property at market value,” she said.

“This is a unique situation where this piece of property fits in with the trust.”

She also said the land would still be free to roam under the handover, as a condition of the transfer.

During the debate she was also challenged by Labour Councillor Chris Bloore, who said: "What I don't understand is, why can't the cabinet put up their case in the (council) chamber and have that debate, and still retain the right to the final decision?

"I just can't understand why they can't defend their policy, three quarters of the chamber might agree with you, (if so), fine."

Cllr Hodgson said she followed "the correct process", saying she stood by the way it was handled and would have no problem of the committee voted for a debate inside the chamber.

Her views on handing over the land were backed up by Councillor Ken Pollock, a committee member, who said after two-and-half years the £75,000 giveaway would be cancelled out against the £30,000 annual running costs.

He said: “Isn't it a good idea to alleviate ourselves of something which will be in negative equity after two-and-a-half years?"

Other members of the committee backed him up, including Councillor Andy Roberts, who called the trust an “excellent” future owner.

“I think it’s a first class idea, I’m a big fan of the National Trust,” he said.

During a vote Tory councillors Lynne Duffy, Kit Taylor, Andy Roberts and Ken Pollock blocked a referral to full council.

Councillor Richard Udall, the chairman of the board, asked officers to start the ball rolling on an investigation over the council's future role in countryside assets, to be debated early next year.

The park, based in a hamlet near Kidderminster, features vast open heathland, miles of sandy tracks, pine forests, picnic benches and broadleaved woods and is popular with people across the county.

The council owns six countryside parks or nature reserves, including Worcester Woods, and 11 picnic sites.