COUNCIL chiefs in Pendle say they have successfully tackled problems identified by watchdogs following an inspection earlier this year.

External auditors Price Waterhouse Coopers gave Pendle council a clean bill of health on most matters when they looked at the authority's financial workings.

But the auditors called for action to to be taken in a number of important areas.

The council was set to miss out on performance indicator targets for the number of vacant stalls on Nelson Market.

Council chiefs have confirmed that contractor Liberata has been penalised £2,681, for any failings.

The auditors were also concerned that personnel and payroll records did not correspond - leading to the risk of employees being overpaid or underpaid when their contracts with the council ended.

While council officials have complained that no examples were forthcoming from auditors, they have now promised to regularly cross-check employee and wages records.

Auditors also discovered that five staff who had left the payroll section in the last 12 months still technically had access to the wages computer system.

And while it might be difficult to gain entry to council buildings to interfere with payroll, officials have now taken action to remove them from the system.

The council has also pledged to maintain an electronic register of councillors' interests, as only a paper version existed previously.