Authorities in Oldham have criticised an independent inquiry into last year's riots, saying the town's major battle is against poverty not racism.

In its detailed response to the Ritchie Report on Friday the borough demanded more investment from the government.

The review, published in December, claimed Oldham authorities had failed to address racial divisions in the town, which were then exploited by extremists.

There were three days of running battles between Asian and white youths in Oldham last May.

We are now stronger with a much clearer understanding of the difficulties facing our borough

Councillor Richard Knowles

The 190-page response document has been endorsed by Oldham Council, Greater Manchester Police and the Greater Manchester Police Authority.

It rejects calls for forced integration between the different racial groups as "neither appropriate nor achievable".

It also "questions the quality and methodology of the report", and denies Oldham is the only place to suffer from racial divisions.

The Ritchie Report criticised Oldham's authorities as being good at bidding for funds, but poor at putting them towards an overall strategy.

Action plan

But Friday's response says more money is needed to tackle problems in housing, education, crime and governance.

Deputy council leader John Johnson said: "I welcome the detailed response because it confirms Oldham's real enemy is deprivation and poverty, not racial division."

However, the document does accept many of the suggested changes made in the Ritchie report.

It sets out a detailed action plan for the next 12 to 18 months.

Soul searching

Council leader Richard Knowles warned: "It is going to take 15 to 20 years to accomplish some of the major changes outlined in the detailed response."

He said councillors had done a lot of "soul searching" since the riots last year.

"But I believe we have learnt a lot about ourselves and we are now stronger with a much clearer understanding of the difficulties facing our borough."

A summary of the report is being sent to every household in Oldham.