A COUNCIL leader has called on a charity board to resign, accusing them of a “total lack of transparency”.

Coun Peter Britcliffe said bosses at the Chaigley Manor Trust, a charity which was set up to help Hyndburn children, should quit immediately.

Meanwhile the Charity Commission said that it was to meet with trustees to “discuss the future of the charity”.

Coun Britcliffe’s call is the latest episode in the row between the borough council and the trust.

Earlier this year it emerged that the charity has filed its accounts with the Charity Commission late for five years running.

And during this time it had underspent by £36,000 from what it should have handed out.

Last month Steve Cook, of the Chaigley Manor Trust, was called before Hyndburn councillors to be quizzed. But he was criticised for only answering written questions submitted in advance.

Coun Britcliffe said this left Hyndburn Council with ‘grave concerns’.

He said: “This was a trust formed by local people for local children, and Hyndburn people should know how their money is being spent.

“Therefore, I'm calling upon members of the existing board to resign and a public meeting to take place, with the aim of forming a new board, which will include residents of Hyndburn.

“I will formally write to all of the board asking them to stand down, and the council will then facilitate the forming of a board made up of Hyndburn people.”

Chaigley Manor was a children’s home in the Ribble Valley bought by the people of Hyndburn in 1927 for use by the borough’s disadvantaged youngsters.

After being sold for £625,000 in 2001 the fund was put into the care of a trust.

A ruling was made that only the interest - around £25,000 per year - should be spent on worthy causes annually.

A spokesman for the Charity Commission said: “We are arranging a meeting with the charity trustees to discuss the future of the charity.”

No-one from the trust was available for comment.