A JUDICIAL review is to be held into Rossendale Council's plans to take back control of the services operated by Whitworth Town Council.

Rossendale took the decision after wrangling last year over how much money Rossendale was going to allocate to Whitworth, in light of the former town clerk Gerry Taylor's disappearance at the same time as £140,000 went missing from Whitworth's budget.

Now all Rossendale councillors have been sent a letter from the chairman of the finance committee at Whitworth outlining the judicial review and warning that the councillors may be surcharged by the district auditor.

At the policy and resources committee, a report stated Whitworth Pool, one of the services the town council operates, needed more than £200,000-worth of maintenance repairs, including work on filters costing at least £60,000.

Rossendale Coun David Baron said this proves Whitworth has not been spending its money properly. He said: "The building is owned by Rossendale Council, but run by Whitworth and certain works are agreed to be carried out by the person running the facility - day-to-day maintenance work. Whitworth has not fulfilled its requirement. We haven't been privy to what Whitworth has actually spent its money on. Obviously the maintenance money has been spent elsewhere."

Ron Pickup, Whitworth acting town clerk, dismissed Coun Baron's claims as "complete and utter rubbish."

He said: "They have been told since 1990 about the work. The only new item is the filters at the pool. We will refute the allegations - it is clear they have failed to provide adequate money to carry out the necessary work."

The judicial review will be heard before April 1, the date Rossendale plans to take over control of the leisure hall, pool and grounds maintenance.

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