A TOURIST attraction near Petersfield that promotes green living has been given £800 of council cash to buy a smoothie maker.

But the appropriateness of the juicy grant to the Sustainability Centre has left a bad taste in the mouth of East Hampshire district councillors.

A host of other grants – including £250 for a war-gaming competition in Petersfield – have also given them plenty of food for thought.

The way in which East Hampshire District Council (EHDC) spends its money came under scrutiny on Tuesday at a surprisingly controversial meeting at Penns Place.

The extraordinary meeting of the Community Forum was called to dish out a share of £4,000 to six groups from in and around Petersfield.

The groups originally applied for a share of a £17,500 pot awarded to EHDC by Hampshire County Council to split among good causes.

They were encouraged to apply for community project funding after missing out on the public vote at the recent 'Approved by You' event.

For full story, see this week's Petersfield Herald.