VOLLEYS were served at Burnley Council by tennis enthusiasts complaining about locked courts, playing surfaces like Bondi beach and a controversial new charging system.

Burnley and District Tennis League chairman Keith Westwell, told the recreation and leisure committee: "It is a disgrace what has happened this year, we have had no service whatsoever.''

He said the league was already into week eight of a 20-week season and the proposed new charging system had yet to be brought into operation.

The league attracted teams from neighbouring, areas but there was no guarantee courts would be available when they arrived.

He said the shale courts were a disgrace and like Bondi beach: "The ball either rolls on the ground or bounces over your head. The courts are not rolled. You would not expect a cricket team to play on a pitch which had not been cut and rolled.''

Mr West asked that the new charging system be waived for the rest of the season and introduced next year. League players were not responsible for problems involving abuse to people collecting money for court use, he said.

Parks Services manager Vincent Gradwell, explained that, until this year, bowling clubs were responsible for managing bookings and collecting fees for use of the tennis courts, but had said they were not longer prepared to take the abuse they received from court users.

The Evening Tennis League had 147 teams with 61 teams using courts at Ightenhill, Queens Park, Towneley Park, Scott Park and Park Road, Padiham.

Discussions have been held with the league and it is now proposed to introduce an annual £30 charge for each team, reduced this season to £20.

There will be an additional charge of £10, allowing league members to play at other times than during league matches.

Mr Gradwell accepted the standard of the shale courts was pretty poor but a Lottery bid was being prepared to provide more modern playing surfaces.

Coun John Harbour said the council was supporting tennis by providing £65,000 match funding for the Lottery bid.

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