SCORES of Pendle households have been paying the wrong council tax for years – and it is feared many more could be doing so.

New figures reveal that hundreds of home-owners were over-charged in the borough after being placed in too high a tax band.

Since the last election, council tax inspectors were forced to change the bands of 369 homes in the borough.

Figures from the Valuation Office Agency showed that 353 homes were moved down a council tax band between 2005 and 2008.

In that same period just 16 properties have been moved up a band.

Andrew Stephenson, the prospective Conservative candidate for Pendle, said the move showed serious problems in the banding of homes for council tax in the area.

He said: “We now have clear evidence of a council tax cover-up.

"Whitehall bureaucrats know that many homes across the country are wrongly banded, but have refused to correct the tax inspectors’ errors to save the Government money and save face.

“The whole basis of our tax system is undermined if the Government conspires to overcharge the public.”

In the last three years 190,000 homes have had their council tax band changed nationwide with 133,985 homes moved down a band.

Mr Stephenson added: “This proves there are serious and systematic errors in the banding of homes, which ministers have been covering up to save money.”

The Conservatives claim many more local council tax-payers who have never questioned their tax banding could still be affected.

A spokesman for the Valuation Office Agency said: “Over the past three years, the numbers of homes whose council tax banding has changed represent fewer than 0.1 per cent of all properties.

“Anyone who thinks their band is incorrect can ask for it to be reviewed.”