Fears voiced over growing 'estate power'

The complaints came after Ann Bartlett became the latest Stonemoor Bottom resident to be co-opted on to the Padiham and Hapton area management committee.

Former chairman Tony Brankin has been barred from rejoining the committee until a Burnley Council inquiry into the running of the committee while he was in charge is complete.

And long-standing member Joan Schofield has been told that although she has submitted nomination forms to be elected, an "administrative problem" has stopped her from joining the committee for the time being.

Today Burnley Council officer Ruth Wynn said there would be a report to the next housing committee, when Mrs Schofield's nomination would be processed.

Mrs Schofield, 70, was on the steering group for three years before the management committee was set up. She has been an elected member for four years. Mrs Schofield has appealed to Burnley Council about the decision not to process her application.

At the meeting of the Padiham and Hapton area sub-committee, member Pat Jones asked for Mrs Schofield to be co-opted on to the committee but her request was rejected.

Speaking as a member of the public, Mr Brankin claimed £1,000 had been set aside to hold by-elections in areas where people had not put forward nominations but instead the committee was being filled up with co-opted members from Stonemoor Bottom.

Principal administrative officer Mrs Wynn said: "When we had sub-areas we got to the point where we had one person elected and nine vacancies.

"The only place there is major works going on is Stonemoor Bottom so it is natural for a lot of people from that area to want to be on the committee.

"The consensus of the committee was that it was better to be viable and have 10 representatives than split it into areas and only have three or four."

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