A ROW has erupted between top Chorley councillors amid allegations of serious irregularities in the running of council services.

The town's Liberal Democrat group has sent out a statement, listing claims of past and present financial mismanagement, which they claim amounts to a £2.2 million loss to the authority over four years.

The information was sent to the district auditors demanding an investigation into the running of the authority. It refers to a current investigation into an accounting discrepancy by a senior council officer involving £546,000.

It states: "Over a four year period, approximately £2.2 million has been lost to this authority by misstatements and mismanagement, money that could have gone towards providing better services to our residents.

"With this in mind, the Liberal Democrat group is asking the leader of the council to set up an investigatory panel."

Conservative members of the council have also voiced concerns about what they describe as "the grave financial situation" of Chorley Borough Council.

Coun Eric Bell, leader of the Conservatives, said: "This is not a new problem. It has been raised by Conservative councillors in both council meetings and letters to the press over the past two years."

They agree the matter should be investigated by the Audit Commission.

Leader of the Labour-run council, Coun Jack Wilson, accused the Liberal Democrats of a "nasty and shabby" publicity stunt designed to alarm.

He described the quoted £2.2m figure as "pure fiction" and criticised the Conservatives for their contribution to the row.

"The Liberal Democrats are playing politics with people's jobs and lives," he added. "They know the issues they have raised have already being answered and the investigation into the accounts problem is on-going and when it is complete a full report will be made available to all councillors.

"There is no grave financial situation and the proposal for an investigatory panel is unnecessary."