FOOTBALL clubs being charged for grounds maintenance work they carry out themselves led to a cry of "foul" when Pendle Council met.

Liberal members hit out at the council's Labour administration for failing to refund thousands of pounds to the three clubs, including Barnoldswick United.

Barrowford councillor Allan Vickerman blew the whistle when he demanded to know what had happened to £2,500 which had been promised to the three premier Pendle clubs in the council's budget.

"Why have the clubs not been informed of this provision?" he asked of Labour leader, Councillor Azhar Ali.

The funding had been agreed in February, when Liberal councillors pointed out Barnoldswick Utd, Colne FC and Nelson FC were paying charges for grounds maintenance which they actually carried out themselves. All three clubs have teams in senior leagues.

Coun Ali replied that the clubs had been written to, alterting them to the fact that a refund would be offered, but they had not yet replied. But this week the Liberal group produced a letter to one of the clubs, which was only sent on the day of the meeting and not received until two days later.

"How could the clubs have replied?" asked Barnoldswick councillor David Whipp. "The Labour leader misled the council in order to cover up their incompetence. How can he blame clubs for not responding two days before they get a letter when he's taken 10 months doing absolutely nothing?"

The Liberals are to ask for an apology to the clubs at the next full council meeting.

o A failure by Pendle Council to submit bids this year for anti-crime cameras in West Craven has also been highlighted by Coun Whipp. The Liberal Democrat member quizzed Pendle's Labour leader, Coun Azhar Ali, over the issue at a meeting of the full council.

Earlier this year Liberal councillors proposed that a package bid for closed-circuit television (CCTV) schemes covering Barnoldswick, Earby, Barrowford and Colne should be submitted for Home Office funding.

Coun Ali rejected that approach, saying a scheme for Colne would be submitted in September and separate bids for the other towns by the end of this year.

But when the council met, Coun Whipp demanded to know why it hadn't been done.

"Given that the Home Office has now introduced a deadline of this month for putting schemes in, would Coun Ali agree to submit a package bid?" he asked.

Coun Ali replied that the target of September, for the Colne scheme, had been realistic, but it had taken a little longer than planned. He said it would now be the end of March before "detailed submissions" were made for Pendle's remaining towns.

After the meeting, Coun Whipp said he was unhappy with the lack of progress.

"I'm worried that Pendle's smaller towns will miss their best chance of funding," he said. "There is certainly a distinct lack of consultation."