POSTERS branded election "propaganda" by an MP have been taken down by the council.
The billboards said the government had cut Croydon's funding by £100 million and that the council was "doing all it can to protect local services".
Gavin Barwell, Conservative MP for Croydon Central, called for the posters to be removed because they breached strict guidelines as to what information councils can publish in the lead up to elections.
A council spokeswoman told the Advertiser today that in "in light of the Selhurst by-election, the council has removed them as a precautionary measure".
Sixty posters were printed at a total cost of £768.83 - £545.50 on printing and £223.33 on design costs.
The council said the wording was decided by the communications team and approved by its head of communications.
Mr Barwell said it was "blatantly obvious" the posters had been created to influence the Selhurst by-election on March 5, called following the death of councillor Gerry Ryan, and the general election in May.
"The only reason for this timing is because there is an election coming up," he said.
Council leader Tony Newman defended the posters on Twitter.
He said the council had a "duty to inform residents that [the] Tory led government has chosen to cut Croydon Council's funding by 40 per cent".
Mr Barwell said the figures were wrong, adding that the funding settlement for next year and the year after had yet to be decided.
Councils have to abide by strict rules as to what they publish ahead of elections and must follow a code of practice for publicity more generally.
Mr Barwell said it was an "open and shut" case as to whether those rules had been breached.
"It's inappropriate," he added. "If I was just a Conservative voter in Croydon, I pay my council tax for local services.
"I don't pay for the council to take sides in an election."
A council spokeswoman said: "The posters form part of the council's wider 'Fair Share for Croydon' funding campaign, which had been planned for a number of months.
"However, in light of the recent Selhurst by-election, the council has removed them as a precautionary measure."
