The Minister for local Government John Healey was in Chesterfield today to see the Hunloke Community Garden, one of Derbyshire’s greatest community achievements today.

The garden which was an unused piece of wasteland ten years ago when a group of volunteers took advantage of a grant from the Labour run Derbyshire County Council has evolved into one of the great attractions of the Chesterfield area.

Set on ground adjacent to Spire Infant School, the garden boasts a pond, greenhouses, and a beautiful walkway around the various growing areas.

Now following further disppaointment in the way that Chesterfield’s Lib Dem Council are administering the Working neighbourhoods Fund money the garden are faced with the threat ofhaving to lay off their two permanent memebrs of staff.

The garden had bid for funding from the Working Neighbourhoods fund but were knocked back just weeks after it was revealed that only a fraction of the money allocated to the Lib Dem Council had found it’s way into job creation projects.

Marion Wilcockson, one of the founding members of the garden said: “We were very disappointed that the Council have knocked us back, just a few weeks ago the Labour run Derbyshire County Council through Councillor Dave Allen had awarded us funding to expand our shop and vegetable service which was designed to help us become self financing, and then this happens and it feels like back to square one.”

John Healey said: “I will be writing to chesterfield Borough Council to enquire about why the garden was not supported by the Council, I was very impressed with the work that I saw there and a,m pleased that the Labour run County Council have run their finances well enough to be able to support organisations like this, they are so important to the local community.”