[Tealeaf]

Yep...thats right. But it is probably the average for an authority of this size. Some of the loony london Boroughs (each about 4 X the size of Hynburn) have municiple debts approaching £1billion, so there's nowt unique about Hyndburn. Councils began issuing paper way back in order to finance the capital costs of various infrastructure schemes, but of course, interest payments have to come from current rate revenues.

I would guess that most, if not all, of Hyndburns debt is issued on Hyndburn paper, but alot will have been rolled over on the maturity on Accrington Corporation, Church, Ossy, etc bonds which Hyndburn inherited in 1974.

So the question should be "What has been the growth, in real terms, of the consolidated debt of Accy, Ossy, Church etc, since 1974 and how does this compare to similar local authorities"

I think political control of the council has been roughly 50/50 Labour/Tory over the last 31 years.