Alton Town Council has rejected a £500 grant application to help with a group’s centenary celebrations.

Some of the money requested by The Alton Art Society would have gone towards producing a banner and hiring the Assembly Rooms for a members’ party on June 14.

Councillors turned down the request as they felt uncomfortable about handing over funding for essentially a private event.

“As this is for an internal celebration and they have considerable allocated funds, let them fund it themselves, especially as it’s for their own people,” said Cllr Matthew Kellerman at Wednesday’s meeting.

A £500 grant request from the Alton Lions in support of their Pirates in the Park event in the public gardens was unanimously approved.