HOME buyers in Hyndburn can benefit from a reduced fee for local searches.

Searches deal with questions covering planning, building control, highways and environmental health, and are required by building societies and banks lending mortgages.

Hyndburn Council has reduced its fee from £106 to £90 and solicitors who send in searches electronically, via the National Land Information Service will receive a further 18 per cent discount.

Coun John Griffiths said: "This is good news for buyers in the borough Historically our pricing hasn't been very competitive. Neighbouring boroughs are mostly charging between £85 and £95. This measure will bring us in line with them."

He said most house buyers probably only had a very vague idea of what a local search was, yet they were an essential part of the legal process.

They do not deal with ownership of homes, which is recorded at the District Land Registry for Lancashire, at Warton.

More information can be obtained on Hyndburn Council's services on its website, at www.hyndburnbc.gov.uk