A FORMER Labour councillor has called for Hyndburn Council leader Peter Britcliffe to stand down because the authority is in a financial mess.

Steve Walsh, former Huncoat ward councillor, has also called on his former colleagues to hold Coun Britcliffe accountable for a £1.8million deficit, which has so far only been cut to £800,000.

But Coun Britcliffe hit back by saying Mr Walsh should talk to the Labour leader Jean Battle about who is responsible for the overspend.

The council has so far managed to wipe £1million off the deficit through undisclosed measures.

Mr Walsh, of Southwood Drive, Baxenden, who was a councillor from 2000 to 2002, accused the council of keeping people in the dark about how the financial crisis had emerged and how it would make the £800,000 savings still needed.

The 34-year-old also said a zero increase in council tax four years ago had contributed to the crisis facing the council.

"He should think of his position as leader and stand down with the rest of his cabinet, and I would ask him to retire from the council because of the dire situation it is in.

"The buck stops with him. He's the leader, he's the sole controller of the council."

Mr Walsh also criticised members of the Labour party for not taking Coun Britcliffe to task over the fiasco.

"I would like to ask the Labour leadership why they are not holding Coun Britcliffe accountable for this mismanagement. Labour seem to be in the Tories' pocket at the moment. Peter Britcliffe would have dragged the Labour administration over the coals for this.

"His zero inflation budget in 2000 had an effect on today's crisis."

Coun Britcliffe said: "I have not drained the resources of the council and I have no intention of resigning.

"I intend to get us through this problem and put Hyndburn on a sound footing and I'm working very hard towards that.

"I would suggest rather than an ex-councillor mouthing off without any knowledge of the facts, he sees his current political leader to ask her to explain to him.

"The zero per cent increase was justified as a one-off to protect people from the excess increases they had been paying for a number of years under the Labour administration."

Coun Battle said: "I would say Coun Britcliffe should stand down but it's not going to resolve the problem, it's going to be someone else's problem.

"We are not in anyone's pocket. If we don't work together, we could be looking at horrendous council tax rises. The council tax payers are my main priority."