AN ANGRY councillor branded Huntroyde Estate, Padiham, "a feudal relic" after Burnley Council received a shock rent rise demand from the administrators.

The charge came from Coun Marcus Johnstone after administrators called for the rent on five acres of land, used for allotments, to go up from £29 to £850 a year.

The rise would be the first since 1935, according to estate administrators.

Coun Johnstone's comments were dismissed as "absolute rubbish" by agent for the estate, Eric Miller.

"The council has been making money on this land for decades," he said.

The council, which runs the allotments next to Padiham cemetery draws over £2,000 in rents from tenants each year.

But members of the recreation committee rejected the estate's demands for a rise in the lease rental to put it in line with current market rates for recreational land. "I think they have an absolute nerve," said Coun Johnstone.

"We should tell them we are not prepared to accept their terms."

Members decided to press for further negotiations with the estate after rejecting Coun Johnstone's suggestion that they should tell the estate to run the allotments themselves.

Mr Miller, of Padiham land agents, Ingham and Yorke, said Huntroyde estate would be more than happy to take over control of the allotments - and with it the council's profits on them.

"I think it is the councillor who has the cheek.

"The fact is the present £29 rent was set in 1935 and there has been no review until now.

"I think anyone would agree that for the last 61 years they have had it fairly cheaply.

"They have been paying out £29 and drawing more than £2,000 and now they are complaining."

Mr Miller said the new figure had been set in line with rents collected on similar parcels of allotment land administered by the firm.

It had been arrived at by agreement after more than a year's negotiation with the council's estates department, he added.

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