LABOUR bosses have called in the police after an Independent candidate accused them of cutting the rates on their own party offices.

Burnley party chairman Maureen Martin has written to Burnley chief superintendent Mike Griffin asking him to probe as "a matter of urgency" the leaflet's claims that Labour councillors have granted the party a 70 per cent rates discount on its headquarters in Victoria Street.

In her letter - written following instruction from the party's regional officer Peter Killean - Mrs Martin says Labour is extremely concerned over the allegation published by Independent councillor Bob Chadwick and distributed in Lowerhouse.

She says the claim that Labour councillors have given the party a 70 per cent discount is extremely misleading and in contravention of the Representation of the People Act 1983, in that it is a false statement for the purpose of affecting the return of a candidate at an election. Mrs Martin said today councils had discretionary powers to allow rate relief to any charitable organisation and the Labour party like many other organisations benefited from the policy which was decided by officers of the council, not councillors.

But Coun Chadwick, agent for Lowerhouse, who published the leaflet, said today he stood by all the claims in the leaflet, which is highly critical of the Labour party. He said: "I have been arguing this for a year. Councillors, not officers, make policy and this is a clear decision of the ruling Labour group on Burnley council."

This is the second time in a week Burnley police have been called in to investigate allegations of irregularities in the run-up to Thursday's council elections.

On Friday, election officers said they had asked police to investigate voting proxies in Daneshouse ward after residents complained they had been registered to allow others to vote on their behalf without consent.

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