THE leader of Hyndburn Council was today accused of trying to score political points over the authority's expenses mix-up.

Labour leader Ian Ormerod claimed councillors had first learnt of the Government's decision to sanction accidental overpayments when they were told about it by the Press.

John Prescott, the minister for the regions, gave permission for £17,400 worth of overpayments to be sanctioned -- meaning they don't have to be paid back -- after the matter had been handed over to him by Hyndburn Council.

Only £2,600 needs to be paid back for expenses claimed for in the last 12 months.

Council leader Peter Britcliffe had hoped to draw a line under the long-running scandal, which erupted last year when it emerged Conservative councillors had claimed money for attending meetings of the new Cabinet, which is a single-party meeting and has no official power yet.

It later emerged that councillors from all sides had been over-claiming -- a fact which prompted the chief executive, Mike Chambers, to apologise to members, saying it was the authority's fault for not checking expenses forms correctly.

But Coun Ormerod said: "How can we feel it has been dealt with properly if councillors only hear about it from the Press? It isn't on.

"We are supposed to be working together for the good of the borough, not keeping secrets from each other. He is trying to score points from this. We should have been told. He is the one who says it affected us all, even though the Conservatives were claiming for one-party meetings which had no power."

Chief executive Mike Chambers said: "I am pleased the Government came to this decision, but it did not surprise me because these expenses weren't an attempt to misappropriate funds, they were mistakes caused by a breakdown in our checking system, a breakdown I have apologised for."