RIBBLE Valley Borough Council has admitted it failed to "test the market" when seeking tenders to take on the running of Clitheroe's Edisford caravan site.

The council's community committee agreed to extend the licence by one year to the Camping and Caravanning Club Ltd.

But it vowed to advertise for potential tendering bids halfway through the licensing term so as not to be in the same position this time next year.

Engineering manager Graham Jagger told the committee: "The situation is that we have not been able to test the market and now the caravan season is nearly at an end.

"The question now is what do we do next year? In the meantime, the Camping and Caravan Club is happy to carry on running the site for another year."

But Coun Philip Nierop said: "I suspect the club is not happy at all. We are being asked to say 'yes' to a situation we were in a year ago. The site needs major investment and I am aware that there is a very good organisation willing to do that.

He added: "I regret than nothing has been done but we still have a good site with good facilities."

In his report Mr Jagger said that outdoor recreation facilities were due to be assessed under the Best Value review in 2002/2003.

"The operation of the caravan site would be incorporated into that review.

But Coun Robert Thompson said: "I see no reason to delay this until the Best Value review. We must move ahead as quickly as possible."