A FORMER town hall could be turned into flats, if councillors are prepared to accept a lower cash offer for the building.

Government rules mean that Pendle Council, which owns Barnoldswick Town Hall, must get the best possible price for it and the authority's resource management committee has already accepted a £160,000 offer from Preston-based pub company Inns & Leisure.

But council officers have now been asked to look into the legal implications of accepting a lower offer, after an outcry by residents prompted councillors to refuse planning permission to convert the building into a pub and restaurant.

A flats scheme would be acceptable to residents, but it would mean the council having to ask the Secretary of State for permission to accept a much lower offer for the former council offices. Last night the resource committee asked officers to investigate the implications of accepting a lower offer and referred the controversial issue back to the policy committee for it to decide on the town hall's future.

Barnoldswick town councillor Mike Warner, said residents were disappointed at the council's delay in making a decision on the building's future until Inns & Leisure decided on whether it wants to appeal against the planning refusal.

"As of today, 11 weeks after refusal, the applicant has not appealed," he said. "Last week, the flats developer asked again about the town hall. He was given the clear implication that the council was waiting and hoping for the pub company to appeal.

"Is there a cynical process here to wait for the applicant to appeal?"

He was backed by Tory councillor Roger Abbiss, who said: "We have a window of opportunity to sell it for the best value for the purpose we can get planning permission for," he argued.

But Liberal Democrat group leader Councillor Alan Davies, said: "We can achieve what they (the residents) want, but we have to do it in the proper way."

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