COUNCIL tax dodgers are being rounded up by investigators across East Lancashire as nearly £300,000 more has been recouped for town hall coffers.

More than £91 million in council tax payments remains outstanding across the north west - say GMB officials - but three local authorities are leading the charge in balancing up the books.

Burnley is ranked fifth out of 43 north west councils for improving their council tax collection rate, coming in just behind the larger metropolitan areas like Liverpool, Trafford, Salford and Sefton.

In 2005/06 around £1,218,000 of council debts had been racked up - but this total had dropped to £1,088,000 by 2006/07.

Blackburn with Darwen council's performance had dropped by £80,000, year-on-year, rising from £1,472,000 to £1,552,000, but officials say they still have a 99 per cent council rate.

Elsewhere Ribble Valley and Rossendale councils were ranked in the tax collection top 10, posting improvements of £74,000 and £64,000 respectively.

Tax collectors in Hyndburn were ranked 18th, improving the £1,266,000 by £26,000 over the same period.