Council chiefs have been urged to loosen the purse strings and spend up to £1 million to help regenerate the borough’s town centres.

The Conservative opposition group has told Labour-led Hyndburn council - which is forecasting a reserve fund of around £3.1 million - that it is time to invest balances and to embark on a ‘change of course’ in spending policy.

Conservative group leader Coun Peter Britcliffe told last week’s cabinet meeting: “The auditors say it is reasonable to have a £2m balance, which would leave you £1m to invest in the people of Hyndburn.”

Coun Britcliffe added he has also spoken to traders who are ‘very concerned’ about the impact of moving the Accrington bus station from Peel Street to the former Kwik Save car park on Crawshaw Street.

He told the meeting: “The outside market traders are particularly concerned, as they feel a lot of the custom they get comes from the bus station.

“What they want to see is our plans for that area. We need something there to make sure a very important part of Accrington doesn’t go downhill.”

Council chiefs have confirmed their pledge to freeze their share of the council tax precept.

They have also agreed to maintain free car parking across the borough.

Council leader Miles Parkinson said they need to have a ‘sustainable plan’ for the future as government funding has been slashed by 35 per cent in four years.

Responding to Conservative criticism at the meeting, he said: “You may have an election campaign ‘let’s go spend £1m’ – that’s your strategy but it’s not mine. I want to leave this council on a sustainable base.”

Coun Parkinson said the decision to move the bus station was approved by the Tories when they controlled the council and plans for the vacated site were in place.

He added: “We are suggesting it will be for additional parking, taxi ranks and disabled bays.

“We welcome the bus station and we welcome the investment throughout the borough.”

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