A free gardening service for council tenants is to be restored.

Earlier this year, the previous Liberal Democrat-Greens administration of Oxford City Council axed the £150,000 service for 700 tenants because it needed to make savings.

Now the Labour group, which regained control on May 2, is planning to bring back the free service for the next 12 months, with tighter eligibility criteria, to ensure the most needy tenants benefit first.

Partially sighted pensioner Mary Puffett, who complained earlier this year when she discovered the service was being axed, said: "I am ever so pleased that the free gardening service is being restored."

She is unable to operate electric lawnmowers and feared the lack of council help would eventually force her to move out of the home where she has lived for the past 63 years. Five weeks ago, she fractured a bone in her right foot, which has made it even more difficult to do any gardening.

At the executive board today councillors will propose spending £80,000 from the housing revenue account to help 400 elderly and disabled tenants to maintain their gardens.

Val Smith, executive member for housing, said: "There are many council tenants who, through no fault of their own, cannot maintain their garden.

"I want to ensure that tenants in genuine need get free help -- so their gardens don't become overgrown and their properties uninhabitable.

"This proposal is very clear that only those tenants that genuinely can not maintain their own gardens will be eligible, and the council will be carrying out checks to ensure the service is not abused." The city council has already sent out application forms to tenants to ensure that if executive board approval is given, the free service will be available from early July.

Les Town, chairman of the Barton Tenants' Forum, said: "Tenants, particularly senior citizens will welcome this. Many of them are no longer able to do their own gardens, and do not have family around who can help, but they are extremely house-proud and it is heartbreaking for them when their gardens become overgrown."

In January, the Liberal Democrat-Green administration claimed the gardening scheme, funded by the housing revenue account, was too expensive and was being exploited by tenants who were capable of doing their own gardens. The administration instead allocated tenants' forums £60,000 to run the gardening service, despite Labour's claims that the funding was not enough. Now the decision looks set to be reversed.

Green councillor Mike Woodin said: "It's a shame Labour councillors are raiding budgets we gave to local tenants' groups to spend on the gardening projects they wanted."