MORE than £250,000 earmarked for renovating council homes across Pendle has been released.

Work will be carried out on central heating and other improvements at 80 homes in the Oak Street area of Colne as well as Trawden, Foulridge and Kelbrook.

The £254,000 worth of improvements were put on hold in June because the council's capital receipts were less than predicted.

The Government has since announced it will allow local authorities to use more of their capital receipts for the new spending so the renovations can go ahead.

Council leader Alan Davies said: "This is good news for council tenants and we welcome the Government's proposals.

"I have authorised the work to start as soon as possible so that it is completed before the winter weather sets in."

But Labour group leader Coun Carol Hopkins said: "Perhaps we should be congratulating the Labour Government for bailing this council out of the difficulties it had got into."

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