PENDLE MP Gordon Prentice has accused councillors of "passing the buck" over delays in housing loans.

Mr Prentice said he was "infuriated" by the row over who is responsible for the £600,000 funding hold-up, which could see hundreds of homeowners unable to buy a new house after their property is demolished.

All those affected by demolition in Nelson, Brierfield, and Colne will get the full value of their houses, but they had been promised purchase assistance loans of up to £30,000 to help make up the shortfall when they buy a new property at a higher price.

Residents should have been able to apply for the cash from April 1, but now they will not be able to apply until September.

Mr Prentice accused Pendle councillor Tony Greaves of "passing the buck" by blaming the government's regeneration scheme for the delay in finding the £600,000 to pay for the loans.

Coun Greaves, executive member for housing market renewal, had claimed Elevate was unable to "organise itself properly".

Mr Prentice said: "We cannot have this constant finger-pointing and sniping.

"Someone is responsible. And I want to know who. The Government is putting a huge amount of money into housing regeneration in Pendle - £18 million over two years. And I am simply not prepared to allow this kind of buck-passing to obscure that fact."

He said he would write to Pendle Council chief executive Stephen Barnes and Elevate boss Max Steinberg and promised to "get to the bottom of it".

Mr Barnes maintained the delay was not being caused by the council.

He said: "The Elevate Board and its governing body have not yet approved the loan policy which will create the purchase assistance loans. The approval of the policy and appropriate conditions attached to the loans, such as interest rates, have yet to be agreed.

"Until the Elevate Board approves this policy it will not be possible for Pendle Council, or any other council, to adopt the scheme and amend their policies to permit its introduction. We anticipate approval should be given within the next few months. Pendle Council will only then be able to take appropriate legal steps to formally adopt the scheme."