A TOP level committee of MPs is being invited to look into the devastating housing problems affecting Burnley after council bosses said: "Come and see for yourself."

The council was tonight due to rubber stamp the call to the House of Commons select committee carrying out a national inquiry into empty homes after it was revealed that the borough needs £150million to bring private sector housing up to a basic standard of fitness and repair.

The meeting is also due to agree a bid to the government for £4.5million next year to tackle some of the housing problems in the town, which were blamed in part for the recent riots.

The council wants to make a bid for extra resources to tackle the problem and is to send written evidence to the select committee.

Councillors are tonight expected to back an executive committee ask the MPs to travel to Burnley so see the problem at first hand and also to hold some of their hearings in the town.

East Lancashire has been confirmed by Whitehall as one of worst areas in the country for poor housing.

The admission from central government followed the revelation it would cost £200million just to bring houses in the area's smallest borough, Hyndburn, up to scratch.

A report to tonight's meeting of the council's ratification committee says the estimated revealed the repairs figure of £150million. In contrast the annual capital programme is £3million, covering all other housing needs such as adaptations for the disabled.

Housing Needs and Strategy manager David Riley said it was clearly important for Burnley to continue to argue for more resources.

He added: "It would be naive to think that Burnley will get more resources just because we believe we can demonstrate substantial needs and problems.

"On the contrary it is essential that effort should continue to be put into joint action at East Lancashire level and also regionally via the North West Housing Forum."

Burnley is to make a £4.5million bid to the government for funds

A housing investment programme totalling £4,599,000 has been prepared for the next financial year.

The proposed programme includes clearance of unfit houses grants, group repairs and environmental works.

Burnley has based its bid on a twin target approach of action focused on specific geographical areas and on households in need borough-wide.

The bid also comes up for approval by the council's ratification committee tonight.

The clearance plan forms nearly half of the bid at £2.4million. Property clearance in Burnley Wood and Accrington Road areas amounts to £1.9million with £44,000 in Daneshouse and Stoneyholme and £75,000 for single house clearances in the rest of the borough.

Grants amount to £1.3million of the bid and include disabled facilities grants, home repair assistance and renovation grants in Burnley Wood, Accrington Road and Daneshouse/Stoneyholme.

Group repair works in the Daneshouse/ Stoneyholme renewal area amount to half a million pounds.

Environmental works include £96,000 area facelift schemes in Burnley Wood and Accrington Road and £50,000 worth of schemes in Daneshouse.

The programme also includes £100,000 for older homes outside targeted areas, £75,000 for the purchase of empty properties and £50,000 for support for loans under the home maintenance scheme.

Councillors are being asked to approve the programme and to forward the bid to the government.