A GROUP set up to boost the Pendle economy has enjoyed one of its best years - creating and safeguarding thousands of jobs while attracting millions of pounds in funding.

The Pendle Partnership - an alliance of organisations and people from the public, private, voluntary and community sectors - is committed to the economic, social and environmental regeneration of Pendle.

And it has given a massive boost to the economy of the area over the last year, its chairman has revealed.

In the last 12 months the Partnership's regeneration funding has helped to create more than 700 jobs, safeguarded jobs for nearly 1,600 people, provided skills support to 884 people and assisted 23 community enterprises.

The government's Single Regeneration budget programme has levered in £6.3million to Pendle using only £1.6million of regeneration funds.

Partnership chairman Dennis Mendoros OBE, who was re-elected unopposed for the seventh time at the group's recent annual meeting, said: "We have helped to help fund the new health centre in Nelson, worked with SureStart to provide childminding and nursery facilities, funded the new Pendle Innovation Centre, helped local firms to expand their premises and financed town centre improvements in Brierfield.

"The Partnership has also funded important computer and information technology projects such as the Brierfield Cyber Caf, nine other community ICT centres, the development of a Pendle Portal website and Pendle's E-Envoy who promotes new computer and information technology."

He added: "Our neighbourhood renewal programme has also performed well helping to improve educational attainment, reduce crime, promote unity and community cohesion and improve people's health. We will need to fight hard this year to keep this funding in Pendle."

Coun Alan Davies, Leader of Pendle Council, was re-elected Partnership vice-chairman.

Mr Mendoros said the community strategy had helped the community and social inclusion key priority group produce a community cohesion action plan aimed at breaking down barriers, tackling prejudice and promoting tolerance.

Pauline Allen from the Brierfield Cyber Cafe said: "The cafe has been a great success since it opened in January wnd we are very grateful to Pendle Partnership for help in funding. The cafe is a real example of a great community project."