BURNLEY'S three British National Party councillors are to file a motion in the council chamber for the first time since they were elected to office in May.

Coun Terry Grogan, who represents Gannow, will present the motion at a full council meeting at the town hall in Manchester Road.

Coun Grogan and his BNP colleagues Carol Hughes and Dave Edwards have rarely been heard in the council chamber.

Their first participation reads: "This council welcomes the recently released crime figures for the period April to August 2002 which show an 11 per cent drop in crime within the Pennine Division which Burnley is part of.

"Especially pleasing, in spite of the recent predictions to the contrary by local politicians, trade unions, pressure groups etc on May 3, racially motivated crime has fallen by a massive 54 percent with 120 incidents and thanks to the police officers of Pennine who with these latest figures are making the borough a safer place for our residents."

It is the first time the far right party has filed a motion or spoken at the full council.

Simon Bennett, a spokesman for the BNP in East Lancashire, said: "Our three councillors are entitled to put motions forward. There has been a reduction in crime.

"It is just a shame that it has caused a reaction from other parties. Burnley has not descended into chaos as the mainstream parties predicted after our election successes."