PENDLE probably has the highest percentage of low value homes in the country, says MP Gordon Prentice.

And Burnley isn't far behind, says the MP who is calling for the introduction of a council tax band lower than the present bottom rung Band A for homes worth under £40,000.

His call joins that of Burnley Council which has argued for years that because many homes in Burnley are valued substantially below £40,000, householders should not have to pay council tax based on that price.

Mr Prentice said: "Pendle has the highest percentage of Band A properties in East Lancashire and probably the entire country. We have 64.8 per cent of the total number of houses. Yet we have only 48 Band H properties, worth over £320,000, compared with Westminster City Council, which has 11,385 Band H houses."

He went on: "The argument for having another lower band is, I think, compelling.

"The present set up can be unfair and I shall be raising the issue with ministers."

Official figures issued by Mr Prentice show Band A homes make up 64.5 per cent of Burnley homes and 54 per cent in Rossendale.