A COUNCIL branded the worst in the country may not be able to use its bin wagons and highways vehicles in six weeks after its operator's licence was revoked.

Today the council leader and deputy Coun Graham Pearson and Coun David Hancock and Rossendale and Darwen MPJanet Anderson will be meeting with Local Government Minister Nick Raynsford to press for cash so that the council can meet the financial obligations in the recommendations from the Audit Commission.

But yesterday, on the same day the council approved a response to the Audit Commission report, a public inquiry at Bacup Leisure Hall held by the North West Traffic Commissioner Beverley Bell revoked the council's highways direct labour organisation's licence to operate vehicles.

Mrs Bell said her decision followed "serious and consistent breaches" in maintaining vehicles and ensuring safety checks were carried out.

The order comes into effect on July 31, until then the vehicles may still be legally used, but if the council fails to make the necessary changes and no interim licence is issued, a private contractor will have to be brought in to operate the vehicles.

Mrs Bell described Rossendale's task ahead as a "mountain to climb" but she promised assistance.

After the decision chief executive Steven Hartley, who has resigned and is currently working his notice, vowed the council would get its licence back.

He said: "We have already started the process and I think we need to find out now exactly what we need to do to continue that progress so we can obtain an interim licence."

The inquiry was called after a road accident last October involving a council bin wagon and a police Range Rover in Bacup Road, Waterfoot.

Although the accident was not caused by any defect in the wagon, a police inspection found it had a brake and tyre defect and ordered it off the road.

There followed an inspection by Vehicle Inspectorate examiner Philip Harrison of 11 council vehicles and the depot at Henrietta Street in Bacup.

A draft Audit Commission report into the way Rossendale Council delivers its services was damning, branding it the worst in authority in the country and ordered a 'radical overhaul of senior management'.