LABOUR MP Frank Cook was criticised by his constituency chairman last night after trying to claim almost £1,500 from the taxpayer to spruce up his overgrown garden.

The Commons authorities have refused to pay the Stockton North MP's expenses claim, submitted for the cost of replanting and paving at his London home.

Mr Cook said the bill was "not a hell of a lot of money" and insisted it was justified because he was too busy, as an MP, to carry out the work himself.

But Bob Gibson, Stockton North Constituency Labour Party chairman and the leader of Stockton Borough Council, said the MP's constituents would be aghast at his actions.

The controversy is likely to be raised at the next meeting of the constituency party, scheduled for Friday.

Mr Cook's claim was made under the additional costs allowance (ACA) scheme, under which MPs are reimbursed for the cost of running a second home in London, or in their constituency.

They can claim for "necessary non-capital expenses" - which are repairs, rather than work intended to add value to a property.

A letter from Myla Kelly, the Commons payments officer, informed Mr Cook that part of his ACA claim of £2,966.22, made in November, had been rejected.

She wrote: "An amount of £1,450 for the purpose of reclaiming a derelict garden has been withheld."

The officer added it might be "considered excessive within the spirit of the proviso 'wholly, necessarily and exclusively on parliamentary duties'."

Dismissing criticism of the expenses claim as a storm in a teacup, Mr Cook told The Northern Echo: "It's not a hell of a lot of money these days.

"Do my constituents want me to live in a garden surrounded by jungle? Do they want me to be a gardener, or do they want me working for them seven days a week?

"I thought it was a reasonable claim under the heading 'care and maintenance', but it has been questioned and an amount not paid. I will be discussing that with officials in the fees office."

A national newspaper reported that the work was done at Mr Cook's home in Camberwell, south London, last summer, shortly after he bought the property.

The front and rear gardens of the end-of-terrace, three-storey house have been improved. An L-shaped patio and wooden trellises have been added at the rear.

Mr Cook said he had demanded the Speaker set up an inquiry to find out who, within the Commons, had leaked details of his allowances claim.

But Mr Gibson said the Commons authorities were absolutely right to refuse the claim, adding: "Maintenance of property and gardening are two separate things.

"I'm disappointed that Frank would submit an expenses claim for this sort of thing, and I think the average person in Stockton North would be aghast.

"I'm amazed that any MP would think this is a legitimate expense. Who encourages them to think that way? It also seems an excessive amount for maintaining a garden."

Mr Gibson said he would be happy for the matter to be discussed at Friday's meeting, should any party member wish to raise it.

Mr Cook has represented Stockton North since 1983, when he beat future prime minister Tony Blair to the Labour nomination.

He then unseated SDP defector Bill Rodgers.

Mr Cook served as an Opposition whip in the 1980s, but has remained on the back-benches under Mr Blair.

Harriett Baldwin, Conservative Party candidate for Stockton North for the forthcoming General Election, said: "I did notice that Mr Cook's expenses were among the highest in the House of Commons.

"I think this really shows how public money, which is our money, is being wasted under Labour, which is what Michael Howard has been saying."