EMPTY buildings owned by Rossendale council are costing tax payers more than £80,0000 as they remain idle, new figures uncovered by opposition councillors have revealed.

Unused parts of the town hall extension are costing nearly £30,000 a year, figures requested by Liberal Democrats have shown.

And rates, utility and maintenance bills on the old Liberal Club, the former Astoria, buildings in Kay Street, in Rawtenstall, and Waterfoot Neighbourhood Centre are also being paid.

The former Astoria costs £16,589, Kay Street £14,925, the Waterfoot building £13,656 and the Liberal club runs up a £11,264 bill Rossendale Leisure Trust is also given the lease of offices in Kay Street, effectively for free, which council officials estimate costs around £15,000.

Meanwhile the costs of renting a makeshift civic chamber, at Hardman Mill and office space at Futures Park in Bacup tops £176,000.

Lib Dems questioned why, after 14 months of asking, an accommodation strategy has not been completed for borough council-owned buildings at the full council meeting.

Coun Alyson Barnes, Labour group leader, also pressed for "better answers" on when the review would be completed.

Coun Brian Essex, finance cabinet member, said: "If I had my way it would be as soon as possible."

Speaking later, Coun Tim Nuttall said: "The whole point of raising this question was to find out the cost of maintaining and securing these particular buildings. All we got was a glib answer.

"We are still in the same position that we were three years on. I can understand the difficulties in renting out buildings now but some of these properties have been empty for some time."

Persistent vandalism had prompted councillors in Waterfoot to insist that the neighbourhood centre be boarded up, he added.