EMPTY properties in Blackburn and Darwen could cost council tax payers over half-a-million pounds.

There are now 600 empty council houses and flats in the borough and, if the level stays same, the authority will have to make savings of £547,000 to make up for the lost rents.

Blackburn with Darwen Council has now agreed to make cutbacks to save money in case the number of empty properties remains as bad as feared.

Councillors agreed to make up the shortfall by a number of measures.

These will include a deferment of the third phase of a painting and improvement programme to council properties in the Longshaw area of Blackburn.

However, Tory housing spokesman Coun John Williams accused the Labour group of failing to tackle the problem of empty properties.

"The policy of the Labour group has failed and the people of Longshaw are being robbed to make up for it," he said. "We are only seven months into the year and the number of empty properties has increased by 50 per cent."

The Tories put forward suggestions to ease the problems, such as putting housing staff on a bonus scheme to let empty properties and getting estate agents to help.

Labour housing chairman Mohammed Khan accused the Tories of underestimating the scale of the problem.

"We need £106 million to bring our housing stock up to standard," he said.

"We will not get a solution overnight - it's a long term problem.

"The staff are working very hard and doing their best but it is a case of supply and demand."

He added that a system of letting furnished properties had been a big success, with 162 tenants taking up the offer since April.

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