COUNCIL chiefs are owed more than £500,000 in rent arrears from stallholders on Bolton's markets.

The debts have been run up by tenants of both Ashburner Street market and the Market Hall and £150,000 has been written off.

Tory deputy leader Cllr Derek Shepherd made the astonishing revelations at a meeting of the council's policy sub committee. "I find it staggering that there are arrears of half a million pounds. It beggars belief," he said.

He hit out at ruling Labour councillors: "It is no use bleating about not having any money when there are inefficiencies in your own council.

"There was a time when the markets made a substantial contribution to the council's profits, now we have these huge arrears."

Cllr Shepherd also accused the council of "poor management" because the cost of the Ashburner Street re-furbishment has rocketed from £2.6 million to £4.5 million.

But an angry council leader Labour Cllr Bob Howarth hit back: "We do have to get this in perspective, we had debts of £11 million to £12 million from the poll tax.

Cllr Michael Kilcoyne, chairman of the council's markets sub committee added: "The markets contribute around £700,000 a year to the council's general fund. "We have written off £150,000 and a proportion of the rest of the money relates to one debt and arrangements have been made to pay.

"That then brings us to a figure which is acceptable. We are obviously concerned at this, but the picture is nothing like as black as Cllr Shepherd has painted it."

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