A SENIOR Burnley councillor has accused the town's ruling executive of putting children's futures at risk because of its decision to refuse to sell land needed for one of the new super schools.

Mark Townsend, a member for Gannow ward, accused Council leader Gordon Birtwistle, and member for resources Peter Doyle of using children as pawns in a political game in the row over the proposed Unity College on land at Towneley.

But his comments were fiercely rejected by the council leader.

Lancashire County Council agreed earlier this month to Compulsory Purchase Orders for land at Towneley - the site for the new college and part of the county council's £250million Building Schools for the Future project in the town.

The move to force through the purchase was necessary because Burnley Council has refused to hand over the land the county needs for the site at Towneley.

Now campaigners are waiting to lodge objections so they can force a public inquiry - giving them a fighting chance of getting the proposed school site moved elsewhere.

As part of the CPO procedure the county council must give objectors the chance to lodge concerns and an independent inspector will decide whether there should be a public inquiry, depending on the strength of claims.

That would cost between £30,000 and £90,000 and could last up to a year.

Coun Townsend said: "The Executive decision not to sell land at Towneley and force a CPO provides residents of the town with the worst of all scenarios.

"Children and staff of Unity College are soon to start in their new school. This provides the worst possible start for all those associated with Unity College. They need certainty in order to plan ahead and not the dither and delay this decision brings.

"The decision also impacts directly on the wider people of the borough because council tax payers of Lancashire, including Burnley, will still have to pay the LCC costs of fighting a CPO - up to £100k.

"Our children's futures are being put at risk because the Executive lacks the leadership required to see through important policy and projects. They are incapable of making difficult decisions and stuck in the world of opposing everything. Even at this late hour I urge the Executive to re-consider this shameful decision and put the needs of our future generations over their short-term political ambitions."

But Coun Birtwistle said: "We have just carried out our election promise not to willingly sell the land to the county council and we have been supported by planners at the council who opposed this site and engineers who opposed this site.

A petition of more than 1,500 people in the Towneley area alone has opposed this site. If Coun Townsend wants to go against that weight of opinion he is welcome."