MILLIONS of pounds in council tax is going uncollected in East Lancashire depriving honest payers of improved services.

Local council tax dodgers skipped payments totalling more than £6.8million - down nearly £800,000 compared with last year.

Councils in Blackburn with Darwen, Rossendale, Pendle and Ribble Valley all improved their tax collection rates, but in Hyndburn and Burnley even more council tax went uncollected this year.

The lost money could be used to lower the tax or improve services.

The figures were collected by public services union GMB, which is seeking a change in the law to help councils collect owed money.

In Blackburn and Darwen £1,446,000 went uncollected, down by more than £220,000 on the previous year.

Director of finance Alan Cotton said: "I am pleased with the figures, but we are never complacent. As a council we work hard to ensure that outstanding payments are collected and take appropriate action if they are not kept up to date."

But in Burnley the figure went up from £1,137,000 to £1,171,000.

A council spokesperson said: "The council is working hard to ensure that we collect all council tax due. Our performance in collecting council tax has improved steadily in recent years from 95.6% in 2003/2004 to 95.7% 2004/2005.

"The council is continuing to make it as easy as possible for people to pay their council tax and continues to take rigorous action against the small minority of people who do not pay."

In Hyndburn £1,277,000 went uncollected, up £4,000 on last year.

Coun John Griffiths, portfolio holder for corporate governance said: "The council continues to take the matter of unpaid council tax very seriously.

"We have continuously improved our performance in this area year on year, and we support the view that people who fail to pay their council tax rob other people of money to support their local services"

In Rossendale £903,000 was owed, down from £1,239,000 in 2003/2004.

Council leaders Coun Duncan Ruddick, said: "We are delighted with the reduction in the amount of council tax arrears owed to the council.

"Our staff have been working hard to improve our performance and the management of this important area has improved considerably in the last 12 months.

"Nevertheless, we believe that we can improve on this even further in the next 12 months.

"As a result of this improvement the council will be able to direct more investment into achieving its corporate priorities."

In Pendle, £967,000 went uncollected, reduced from £1,142,000.

Coun David Whipp said: "We are one of the most improved districts in the country.

"The position in Pendle used to be pretty dire and the result of a sustained effort by the staff and investment in new technology means it's been turned around.

"We have put a lot of effort in to turn it around. I'm very pleased with the progress that's been made.

"We never forget and continue to collect. The aim is to improve year-on-year."

In the Ribble Valley £305,000 was owed, down from £346,000.

Of the 36 councils in the North West, £72,252,000 went uncollected.

GMB regional secretary Paul McCarthy said: "Nationally, there is £589,538,530 in uncollected council tax.

"If this money was collected by the councils it could be used to improve services or hold down the level of the council tax."