A COUNCILLOR has been ordered to clean up his act by his council leader after committing breaches of health and safety regulations at his food shop.

Coun Kate Hollern told Hussain Akhtar he should be setting a positive example- and that the case proved that councillors did not receive any special treatment.

He received a formal caution in relation to a routine food hygience inspection on March 30, when mouse droppings were found at Akhtar's Food Store, Whalley Range, Blackburn.

He had been due to appear in court but opted to accept the caution instead.

He was also cautioned for obstructing the highway with pallets and boxes outside his shop.

On February 26, Coun Akhtar received a £1,000 fine and was ordered to pay £615 costs by Blackburn magistrates after admitting four offences of selling food past is use-by date and one of selling food which was not labelled in English.

The court was told that some of the food was up to 46 days past its use-by date.

At the time of the hearing, Coun Akhtar was in Pakistan, but in a solicitor's letter, he claimed that he thought suppliers were responsible for removing out-of-date food.

Today, the Shear Brow councillor, who has been in the retail trade since 1972, was ordered to 'sort himself out' by the leader of Blackburn with Darwen Council Coun Hollern, who added he should be setting a postive example.

She said: "This shows that councillors receive no special treatment.

"We will be talking to him about this because it is not the first time. He needs to sort himself out to make sure it doesn't happen again.

"As a councillor, he needs to be setting the right example for other people to follow and not be caught repeatedly flouting the rules."

It isn't the first time Coun Akhtar has fallen foul of rules about blocking pavements.

In 1998, he was forced to stop selling goods on the street after traders being prosecuted for similar offences following a clampdown pointed out his offences.

Today, he said: "I really do not want to talk about this because it is still in the hands of my solicitors.

"I want to get on with my business."

Adam Scott, director of regeneration at Blackburn with Darwen Council, said: "Mr Hussain was formally cautioned for offences under the Food Safety Act 1990 and the Highways Act 1980.

"The evidence collated by our officers will remain on file to be used should another infringement occur.

"It goes without saying that we treat offences of this nature seriously. We are pleased that Mr Hussain is fully co-operating with our officers."