CREWE Town Council has announced it is to invest £11,000 into the town’s allotments.

The town council announced this week that it will support the improvements at the 11 allotment sites in the town and has made a contribution to the Crewe Town Allotment Federation.

This money has been provided against an investment programme put forward by the federation to upgrade facilities and address an historic lack of investment.

Clr Simon Yates, chair of the finance and resources committee, said: “We have been impressed at how quickly the federation has grown and welcome its general approach to the management of the town’s allotments on behalf of the council.

“Further monies are available next year and we have invited the federation to bid on a case by case basis for further funding.

“The council has also invested in new allotment signage that clearly shows the joint working arrangements between the federation and the town council. We also hope that we can reinstate the former allotment competitions and perhaps put on an allotment market in the town later in the year.

“Allotments are a great way to get out in open air, take exercise, meet friends and also to access healthy home grown foods at a lower general cost to hard pressed family budgets.”

A spokesman for the federation added: “We really appreciate the new relationship with the council and the monies will go a long way to bringing the sites up to competition standard.

“The new arrangement give the tenants of the allotments a real degree of autonomy to manage their own affairs, as such we see allotment provision in the town going from strength to strength.”