AN East Lancashire council leader's plan to tackle myths about how taxpayers' money is spent has attracted interest from the Chancellor of the Exchequer.

Gordon Brown, dubbed the Iron Chancellor because of his prudent economic policy, is one of three Government ministers said to have expressed an interest in the plan.

As well as the tenant at 11 Downing Street, Blackburn MP and Foreign Secretary Jack Straw and housing minister Phil Hope were also said to be attracted to the idea.

Sir Bill Taylor, leader of Blackburn with Darwen Council, said the "Resource Mapping" plan would help people to understand how the council works better and to combat myths about unequal funding.

He wants to produce a map showing where the council's money has been spent - to dispel what he called myths that the council spends a disproportionate amount of money on ethnic minority members of the community.

He added: "Some people say that some parts of the borough get preferential treatment and this is sometimes used in a cynical, political way.

"This public document will tell people how the public purse is spent on the people of Blackburn with Darwen.

"We don't think this has been done in this kind of detail by any other council."

Coun Taylor said the council spends £175million a year but when external funding from the Government and Europe is added the figure is closer to £700million. "Part of this is aimed at dispelling BNP claims that the Asian community get an unfair crack of the whip in terms of resourcing."

The plan is still in the early stages but councillors are due to be presented with initial findings later in the financial year.

A spokesman for Mr Straw, who is in Washington DC for talks on Iraq, said: "Jack Straw was very impressed with Bill's idea of resource mapping and has alerted the chancellor Gordon Brown and Phil Hope to the benefits of the idea."

Coun Taylor said resource mapping would also help the council work out where money should be targeted in future years.