A COUNCIL tenants group is to be called to account after being accused of a misuse of funds and spending more than £3,300 in three weeks.

Burnley Council's housing committee came close to suspending the Padiham and Hapton area management committee and ordering a full investigation following accusations by its former chairman Tony Brankin.

Instead, councillors last night decided to ask the group, which represents more than 800 tenants, to explain its spending - but warned they could launch a full investigation if they don't get satisfactory answers.

Mr Brankin described spending as extravagant when he addressed the committee on the group's report for July to September.

He claimed there had been no meetings prior to the September annual general meeting and therefore the period was only three weeks.

He said the report showed £500 spent on the annual meeting, but it had only been attended by 16 people.

Mr Brankin, himself barred from the tenants group following a council investigation last year, said the report showed the management committee had spent nearly £1,100 on refreshments, lunches, taxis, telephone calls and a window cleaner.

He said it amounted to a blatant misuse of funds and called for immediate suspension and investigation.

He was backed by Liberal Democrat leader Gordon Birtwistle who said: "They must have the most expensive window cleaner in the country. "We pay big money employing officers who should supervise this spending - why isn't this being done?"

He added: "We need to get our act together. As it is, we are leaving a wide open cheque to every Tom, Dick, or Harry."

Conservative leader Coun Enid Tate also called for suspension and inquiry after pointing out the Padiham group appeared to have spent over £600 more than all other similar groups put together.

But Coun Gillian Harbour, a new member of the management committee, asked for time for things to be "sorted out" warning: "There are a lot of political undercurrents going on here as well."

Labour council leader Stuart Caddy warned against the committee sitting as judge and jury before the management committee had been given an opportunity to explain its position.

"If you are still not satisfied, you can still launch an investigation very quickly," he said. "Just to do so now will be to send a wrong message to groups we empower and encourage to make democratic decisions. It will tell them we have no faith in them."

Coun Caddy's suggestion was narrowly accepted by the committee.

Padiham area management committee chairman Mark Graham who signed the expenses report was not available for comment today.

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