IF YOU are over 60 you'll be able to hop on a bus in Medway for free from 9am in future.

The concession was expected to be lost from April under new government funding rules when it will subsidise elderly travel only from 9.30am.

But Medway Council voted last night to find an extra £25,000 to top up the concessionary fares budget. That will provide free bus fares for older passengers from 9am.

In another surprise, the Conservative administration accepted a recommendation from the Liberal Democrats to scrap plans to increase charges for cricket and football pitches.

Liberal Democrat leader, Cllr Geoff Juby, said it would be perverse in a community spending millions to create a sporting legacy of the 2012 London Olympics with a regional sports centre at the Black Lion in Gillingham, and was prepared to spend £95,000 to bring the world Modern Pentathlon championships to Medway in 2010.

After a debate lasting more than two-and-a-half hours the council voted for 4.9995 [CORR] per cent increase in council tax, meaning the average annual band D cost will be £1041.48 from April.

More details of the spending plans in Monday's Medway Messenger.