Thanet District Council is facing claims of wasting time and taxpayers’ money after the Ukip-led authority agreed to spend £10,000 on yet more legal advice to investigate the American company that could be its partner in a buyout of Manston airport.

The council’s cabinet confirmed last night that lawyers were to be brought in to investigate the financial credentials of RiverOak, the company that is hoping to force the owners to sell the site.

But the move drew criticism from the Conservative opposition, which said there was already enough information available.

Cllr Bob Bayford, the Conservative group leader, said Ukip was breaking a pre-election pledge not to delay on whether to proceed with a compulsory purchase order for Manston.

Speaking at the cabinet meeting, he said: “You won the election on a pledge not to prevaricate. But here we are starting another process.

"I am quite surprised that we are spending £10,000 of taxpayers’ money on legal advice. I don’t know how much counsel time £10,000 will get you.”

He added: “This has the feel of the administration trying to spin things out so any decision is taken away from it.”

The council asked three law firms to advise how much it would cost to examine the financial credentials of RiverOak.

The work is expected to cost the taxpayer at least £10,000 and the bill could rise still further as the council says it may need extra advice from accountants and specialist lawyers.

UKIP council leader Cllr Chris Wells said the authority was taking sensible steps to satisfy itself Riveroak was a viable business.

“In the weeks since the election, we have done more than the previous administration did in 14 months.

"It is very straightforward now. We have asked a specialist solicitors to advise us on the position we are in now and to tell us what we need to do to make sure that our finance officer is content that we are dealing with an organisation (RiverOak) of substance as an indemnity partner.”

He added lawyers would be asked to judge whether the proposed indemnity agreement protected the council from compensation or damages later on “if things do not work out exactly as we expect".

On the claim the council was wasting money,he said: “I wish I wasn’t spending taxpayers’ money.

"If the previous administration had done what we are doing, we would be a lot further down the road than we are now.”

He also said Thanet was lucky to have two options on the table for the site.

Supporters of Manston said they welcomed the move.

Meanwhile, the site’s owners repeated their view that they believed a CPO would fail.

In a statement released after the meeting, the owners’ spokesman Ray Mallon said: “Our opinion remains the same.

"The CPO is a red herring, which will not be successful.

"The decision by the council effectively to review a review is just putting off the inevitable, but we completely understand why they have taken this approach.”

“Thanet council is under new leadership and will, of course, want to take another look at what is a very emotive issue, before they make a final decision.”