A row has broken out in Wirral Council over the lack of allotment space in the borough.
The Wirral Conservatives said there are more than 1,000 people in the borough waiting for an allotment.
The local authority has been asked to dedicate disused council land to allotments and expand existing plots where possible to help meet demand.
The request was made by a group formed of councillors and Wirral Allotments Society.
Conservative councillor Tom Anderson, who represents Greasby, Frankby and Irby, is backing a campaign asking for £127,000 from Wirral Council to increase the number of allotments in the borough.
The money would be used to improve a number of allotment sites in the borough.
Cllr Anderson said: “It’s clear from existing plot holders, and those waiting for a plot, that the council has not paid enough attention to this issue.
“The Covid-19 pandemic has led to more interest from people who would like to grow more of their own food."
The proposal will be considered tonight by the authority’s policy and resources committee, the most influential committee in the council.
Cllr Anderson, who chairs the council's tourism and culture committee, added: “The Allotments Act of 1908 also requires councils to meet demand for allotments – I’m really grateful to those residents who have contacted me about this and to the Wirral Allotments Society for helping us to start work to meet this demand.”
But Labour’s Janette Williamson, leader of Wirral Council, hit back at what she saw as “cheap” comments by Cllr Anderson.
Cllr Williamson said: “The lack of allotments is a nationwide problem and one that has been exacerbated by sustained cuts to local councils since 2010.
Find out what's going on in your area by adding your postcode below
“However, Wirral is determined to lead the way and has worked closely with the Allotment Society to improve our allotments. It is therefore simply not the case that Wirral has not paid attention to this issue.
“The environment committee is a cross-party committee and I find it deeply disappointing that Cllr Anderson has not paid credit to his colleagues for all their hard work on this issue, particularly as a current chair of a committee he has chosen to unfairly and cheaply criticise the council which he is very much part of.”
