A COUNCIL chief has assured tenants in Rossendale that money used in Haslingden is not at the expense of other parts of the Valley.

A total of £354,000 will be spent on modernising six, four-storey blocks of flats in Marsden Square, Haslingden.

Rossendale Council will find half with the rest coming from the government's Single Regeneration Budget.

Housing chairman Coun Dick Stuart said: "These flats have suffered from a tarnished reputation. Improvements will help the people living there and make them more attractive to future tenants.

"Only one of the 60 flats is empty at the moment, which is excellent."

Coun Stuart said the council knew when it decided to go for an SRB scheme for Haslingden it would have to contribute half the costs of housing improvements over the five years and this would skew the amount of money available for the rest of the borough.

But he said: "This was felt to be an acceptable risk and already we are seeing the benefits in Haslingden.

"It may look as if things are being skewed too far Haslingden's way but many improvements are going on in other parts of Rossendale, too.

"We are repainting homes in Whitworth, Stacksteads and Waterfoot and improvements will be carried out on the Wallbank estate in Whitworth."

Haslingden Coun Michael Cruise added: "A lot of money is being spent on Haslingden and improvements such as the Carrs Link Road and the new market are becoming obvious."

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