BURNLEY council will hold urgent talks with bus giant Stagecoach if, as expected, Pendle council decides to sell its half share of Burnley and Pendle Transport.

Behind closed doors on Tuesday night (January 30), councillors voted in favour of meeting the big bus company to discuss what options are on offer.

Stagecoach will pay Pendle £2 million for its half of the local bus company, and has offered £5.85 million for the whole company, including Burnley's half.

Pendle council's ruling Liberal group was trying to force through the sale at a meeting on Wednesday night, but Burnley's Labour-dominated council still wants to retain its share.

Councillor Roger Frost (Liberal Democrat), a member of the committee which decided to hold talks with Stagecoach, said it was an 11th-hour change of policy.

He told the Citizen: "Not to have been involved in discussions right from the beginning was, I believe, a mistake.

"However, it is something that will resolve itself in the not-too-distant future. My view is that it would have been better if this issue had never been raised, but it may be that Burnley will be forced to sell.

"The blame lies with Transport Act 1985 for allowing sales such as this to go ahead. Burnley's main concern is with protecting employment and services."

Roger Hutchinson, the head of Burnley council's legal services, told the Citizen: "The policy and resources committee has resolved to hold urgent talks with Stagecoach and Pendle in the event of the sale being approved.

"A delegation of councillors will meet Stagecoach and a further report will be made to the committee."

He stressed that the decision does not imply a willingness to sell. Talks would have to be held simply because of a change in partner.

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