A politician has switched parties to protest over stalling tactics he claims could scupper a £100 million redevelopment.

Former Liberal Democrat councillor Kevin Skepper has joined Worthing Borough Council's ruling Conservatives in protest over the Lib Dems' stance on the Teville Gate redevelopment.

Developers are drawing up a masterplan for the future of Worthing under which the eyesore Grafton multi-storey car park on the seafront would be sold off and redeveloped.

Leisure officials believed the land sales would pay for a new swimming pool at Teville Gate to replace the Aquarena complex in Brighton Road.

But the developer Hanson Capital Management has warned it "cannot just sit around waiting" while the politicians make up their minds.

Mr Skepper is angry the Lib Dems have called in the ruling Cabinet's decision to go ahead with the project.

He said: "Worthing needs a new swimming pool and the Teville Gate project is delivering one. The Lib Dems are saying it is financially unadvantageous but there have been no figures produced yet."

He said he had been told not to raise his objections in council but was not willing to keep quiet. He said: "I was elected to represent the people of Broadwater and I do not think this decision is in their best interests."

Mr Skepper was elected to the Broadwater ward in May 2004 and the Lib Dem group leader Bob Smytherman said a by-election should be held to allow voters to decide whether they wanted to keep him on as a Conservative.

He said: "If we are going to give up council property on the seafront in exchange for a 35-year lease on a swimming pool, we have got to make sure we're getting value for money."