HUNDREDS of thousands of pounds are being spent to ensure Bolton Council's computers don't fall victim to the Millenium Bug. Computer experts are beavering away in the town hall altering programmes to make sure the systems recognise the year 2000. The Millennium Bug problem will arise because many computers, which only use two digits for the year in their date line, will read the year "00" as 1900 not 2000.

Also many programs are written in a computer language based on a formula which does not go beyond 99, again causing headaches for computer programmers. Across the country millions of pounds are being spent to ensure systems don't crash at midnight on December 31, 1999.

Already £150,000 has been spent on protecting big systems such as the council tax, benefits and student grant records.

Council bosses admit that the investment will delay some planned information technology developments in the town hall.

Director of finance, Steven Arnfield, said: "Detailed plans have been in place for some years as we contend with this problem.

"Some systems have already been changed.

"Firstly we have concentrated on the big computer systems, such as those dealing with benefits, student grants and council tax.

"The money would have been spent on developing systems but it's only proper that the year 2000 problem should be addressed first."

A recent survey of local authorities has shown that £193 million has been spent on preventative action.

But five per cent of local authorities questioned have taken no action at all.

Brian Briscoe, chief executive of the Local Government Association, said: "Local government is very aware of the year 2000 problem, as proved by this survey. We must urgently identify the resources to address this serious issue."

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.