SPONSORED roundabout signs which bring in cash for Bolton Council may have been put up without planning permission.

Three years ago the council signed an agreement with a Halifax company to put up sponsored gateway signs around the town centre.

This was then extended to include borough boundary signs and small sponsored signs on roundabouts.

Since then 16 gateway signs have been erected, eight boundary signs and nine roundabout signs.

The agreement has brought in £63,000 for the council, some of which has been used to part fund the signs and the rest to help maintain verges.

Other requests have also been received for putting up sponsored district boundary signs on major routes and direction signs to industrial estates, eventually creating around 40 more signs throughout the borough.

But council officials have agreed to look again at roundabout signs after concerns were raised by councillors that these had been put up without planning permission.

Speaking at the environment and direct services scrutiny committee Cllr John Rothwell said he was especially worried that the signs could distract drivers and cause accidents.

"There is disquiet that these signs can go up with no planning permission whatsoever," he said.

Environment director Ray Jefferson admitted that it is possible that the roundabout signs should have had planning permission before being put up and the matter is now being investigated.