FRENCHWOOD Allotment Society has finally been awarded services and cash worth around £2,000 a year from Preston Borough Council - and the Liberal Democrats and Labour are both claiming the credit.

The package for the society includes free water provision for tenants, five skips each year, cutting along the main paths, boundary repairs, pest control and cheaper plots for pensioners.

The provisions are already on offer to council-run allotments around Preston, but had not been offered to Frenchwood because it is run by a society - saving the council around £10,000 per year in administration costs.

Councillor Michael Moulding, secretary of the society, started campaigning for the cash around three years ago. But Councillor Ken Cole believes that the speed of the grant was affected by Coun Moulding's refusal to hand over the society's accounts, something Coun Moulding vehemently denies.

Coun Cole said: "This is excellent news for plot holders at Frenchwood Allotment Society.

"We could have handed the society these services earlier but for the secretary refusing to hand over the books for six months, despite an agreement with Preston Borough Council to hand them over.

"These services bring Frenchwood in line with council-owned sites.

"Finally, after a lot of lobbying, I can see my letters and phone calls bearing fruit. I am really pleased for the ordinary people of the society. They deserve this."

Coun Moulding said: "The business about the accounts being sent in late is pure garbage. The council refused to give us funding several times over the period of three years.

"We presented the accounts almost a year ago.

"The funding has come right out of the blue and it's great news for us. It's a victory for us.

"We are self-sufficient so it is only fair that the council makes a contribution to us, as it does to the other allotment sites - and we've said that for several years."

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