BROMSGROVE Rovers Football Club is set to kick off the new season secure in the knowledge they have a new ten year lease on the Victoria Ground - and it won't cost the club a penny.

The proposal comes after months of uncertainty about its long term future were finally resolved and means the Southern League Division One West club can now attract investment for new facilities.

Bromsgrove District Council's Tory cabinet, when it meets next Wednesday, will be asked to support giving the existing seven year lease a red card in favour of a new one, plus a grant to cover the fees.

But the proposal was heavily criticised yesterday by two opposition parties which claim the privately-run club should not be given grants despite the council owning the ground.

Councillor Roger Hollingworth (Con-Alvechurch), cabinet member responsible for finance, said: "The club has asked us if we could cut short the present seven year lease, which has just over five years to run, and give them a new one for ten years.

"We are happy to do this, but legislation says by extending the lease we would have to impose a fair economic rent for the ground."

"Naturally we did not want the club to face a financial penalty which is why we will be asking members at a meeting later this month to consider giving the club an annual grant to cover the costs."

The club wants a longer lease to comply with changes to the FA's ground grading specifications.

But news of the proposals upset Labour leader Cllr Peter McDonald (Waseley) who said: "Rovers are a private concern and we do not normally give grants to private businesses. And with match day tickets costing £7 I would have thought the club could have afforded an economic rent."

Cllr Nick Psirides (Ind-Norton) was also scathing. He said officers' time and money could be saved by keeping the seven year lease, thereby making grants unnecessary.

He added he finds it incredible the cabinet should even consider a grant to the club after initially refusing one for the Primrose Hospice, now rescinded, and another, to be reconsidered tonight, for the Avoncroft Museum.

Rovers' chairman, Tom Herbert, is delighted by the news.

"If it goes ahead we will at last be able to apply for outside grants for improvements such as new floodlights to bring the ground up to league standards," he said.