CASH to improve housing in Pendle is going unspent because council staff are off sick.

Pendle Council spent £657,443 out of a target of £852,320 in October as part of the multi-million pound Elevate overhaul of housing -- leaving an underspend of nearly £200,000.

Funding for two projects went underspent because of staff sickness.

But council chiefs say there is no crisis and the money will be put over to be spent this month.

The St Mary's Group Repair project, a scheme to improve a conservation area of Nelson with houses given face-lifts including double glazing, traditional sash windows, stack chimneys, new front doors and guttering, was £45,000 underspent.

A Spend and Project Progress report reveals the reason was the long-term sickness of a quantity surveyor.

Only £37 was spent in October on work towards masterplans for Bradley and Nelson Town Centres instead of the £13,000 allocated, with sickness of a staff member blamed.

And in Colne nothing out of the £93,000 target was spent because of contractual issues.

Council Executive Director for Regeneration, Brian Cookson said: "It's not a major problem, it's just a time problem with a couple of people being off sick. There is not a major sickness epidemic.

"By and large the projects are on track and we are moving ahead as quickly as we can. We are confident that we will spend what we can.

"We anticipate we will retrieve the ground lost in the following month."