SHOCK figures have revealed the bar, catering and cleaning section at Burnley Mechanics is operating at a loss of £500 a week.

Accounts just released to the council's Contract Services Sub-committee reveal that losses over six months total £12,603.

The statement of accounts leaked to the Lancashire Evening Telegraph show that the bar net profit was £28,381 but that catering for the period from April-September was running at a net loss of £8,745.

The cleaning deficit was £11,921 while supervision and management costs amounted to £5,870.

A major row broke out at last night's Policy and Resources Committee, when the figures were described as showing an alarming state of affairs by Independent councillor Harry Brooks.

He said: "It is totally wrong that the council should go to sleep on this very, very serious situation.

"I can see very Draconian measures being taken by the Secretary of State. Because we are performing so badly Draconian measures by the Secretary of State would be most welcome.'' Contract Services Sub-committee chairman, Coun Abdul Aziz, repeatedly complained that Coun Brooks and Lib-Dem councillor Gordon Birtwistle were revealing figures in public and of which many other members of the committee were not aware.

Coun Birtwistle said he had collected his copy of the accounts that day. "Looking at the accounts and the time between now, the next committee meeting, could involve another £6-7,000,'' he said.

Chairman, Coun Kath Reade, said they could not discuss something when most members of the committee did not have the figures.

She said the accounts would be discussed at the next meeting of the Contract Services Sub-committee but that a special and urgent meeting could be called were it considered necessary.

Coun John Harbour commented: "There seems to be a feeling that we are actually doing nothing about it and are waiting seven weeks to look into it.

"A working party has already been set up with the Mechanics looking at profit margins and service delivery etc.

"We are facing the problems we have and hopefully it will get back to an even keel.''

Coun Brooks had earlier been in dispute with the chairman who had threatened to take a vote excluding him from the rest of the meeting causing Coun Marcus Johnstone to remark: "He is in danger of being sent off in the first minute, even quicker than Paul Gascoigne.''

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