LONG-awaited works to resurface a Pendle road, which are due to start next month, have sparked a political row.

Confirmation of the start date of the month-long works on Reedley Road in Reedley as Monday, February 13, has been welcomed by councillors.

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But it has started a row between Pendle borough Labour leader Cllr Mohammed Iqbal and his Conservative counterpart on the authority Cllr Joe Cooney.

Cash for the project was agreed last March by Lancashire County Council.

It was only put into the agreed works programme earlier this month and will continue until Friday, March 17.

The diversion route will be along Burnley Road, Halifax Road and Higher Reedley Road.

Cllr Cooney said: “Funding was secured for the resurfacing works by Conservative County Councillor Christian Wakeford in early 2016, only for the Labour-run county council to attempt to remove some funding for these long overdue works later in the year.

“This would have meant that there would only have been enough funding to pay for half of the road to be resurfaced. He refused to accept this position and continued to push for funding which would resurface the whole road to be restored.”

Pendle West’s County Cllr Wakeford said: “I’m glad that I was able to persuade the county council to fulfil its promise and make sure that all of the road is resurfaced.

“Local residents have been suffering for too long because of the state of this road and it’s about time something was done about it.

“I look forward to the work being completed and residents breathing a sigh of relief.”

Cllr Iqbal, whose county council ward includes part of Reedley Road, said: “I am very pleased this work is now going ahead as the surface is in a pretty poor state.

“However I am disappointed with Cllr Cooney and his Conservative colleagues for causing confusion.

“The funding was secured last year and the scheme has always been in the programme for 2016/2017.

“It was only a matter of when as it is not case of money is granted today and work starts tomorrow.

“It was question of programming the work and it will now take place within the agreed time-frame.”

A Lancashire County Council spokesman said: “The resurfacing scheme was put forward by county councillors before being approved by the authority’s cabinet member for highways and transport.

“Lancashire County cou-ncil has used additional funds to ensure it is completed.”

“The work will begin on February 13 on this four week scheme.”