Race trouble questionnaire delay

Villagers in Hapton will receive the questionnaires about the June troubles in the next day or so.

They are being asked to return them to Burnley Town Hall as soon as possible but before the new deadline of November 22.

About 40,000 questionnaires were sent out, with less than 400 still to be distributed.

Task Force independent chairman Lord Tony Clarke has expressed concerns about the delay. He said: "The contract entered into with Royal Mail was to ensure that every household would receive the questionnaire.

"I had been assured that the delivery arrangements had been completed, albeit late in some areas, which led to the extension of the closing date."

He added: "I was not informed until Friday that the people of Hapton did not receive their questionnaires and following inquiries learned to my dismay that Royal Mail had failed to make deliveries in that area."

Lord Clarke said that immediately he learned that a late delivery would be made he held up the analysis of the completed questionnaires for a further period to allow the people of Hapton to be included.

He said the breakdown was beyond the control of the Task Force.

Burnley council leader Stuart Caddy, a Task Force member and post office worker, said: "There has been a hiccup because they (the questionnaires) came in late to the Burnley Post Office and delays were due to to the questionnaires going out in batches rather than all together."

Coun Caddy said the ones for Hapton were now being delivered this week.

He added: "We have asked that people get them back as quickly as possible."

Coun Caddy added: "We are moving on again. We have again extended the deadline so that everyone in the borough can have their say."

A spokesman for Royal Mail said they were concerned to learn that the Task force were unhappy with the service they had provided since they had made every effort to deliver the questionnaires at short notice.