'We won't be swallowed up'

Council leaders at Accrington Town Hall were left seething after one proposed re-organisation of local government in East Lancashire saw Hyndburn swallowed up by Blackburn with Darwen Council.

The Boundary Committee, asked by the Government to draw up plans for stream-lining local councils in Lancashire if people vote in favour of a regional assembly, today returned its two preferred options.

Voters will now get the chance to pick their favourite, along with being asked if they want a regional government.

In December, the Boundary Committee presented its first three options for East Lancashire. They were for one council for the whole of East Lancashire, one council for the whole of Lancashire or splitting East Lancashire into two councils.

Under the original plans, Blackburn with Darwen, Hyndburn and Ribble Valley would have merged.

But in the new plans, Ribble Valley would join Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale to form East Lancashire Council, leaving Blackburn with Darwen "to expand into the area of Hyndburn."

That would lead to the creation of Blackburn with Hyndburn Council.

Hyndburn Council leader, Peter Britcliffe, said: "This idea is outrageous. We are seething.

"It kills off Hyndburn in all but name. I cannot believe the Boundary Committee is happy with the idea of just letting Blackburn over-run us.

"We're boycotting today's launch of these ideas, that is the contempt we hold them in. We now need to just get rid of these proposals by making sure people vote 'no' in the regional assembly vote.

"That would mean Hyndburn is saved - and we will fight tooth and nail to save it."

Opposition Labour deputy leader, Coun David Myles, added: "While we opposed the idea of the council taking a stance on regional government, it doesn't mean we'll not fight against Blackburn invading.

"We should have pushed harder for the East Lancashire-wide option. That would have given us a voice which competed with Manchester and Liverpool, but the Tories seemed more bothered about getting in bed with Ribble Valley, the other Tory council, even though we are nothing like them."

Blackburn with Darwen Council leader, Sir Bill Taylor, however, said bringing Hyndburn in with Blackburn with Darwen did make some sense.

He added: "We are very similar areas economically and in social terms. We have many of the same issues to face and we could work together.

"But we shouldn't forget the real prize is regional government."

County council leader, Coun Hazel Harding, whose authority has backed a countywide unitary on the understanding it would devolve power to area cabinets, said: "We still believe that the current council structure works well for the people of Lancashire.

"A new Lancashire-wide council would be the least disruptive alteration if people vote for a regional assembly."

Hyndburn Greg Pope branded the proposals "a real mess" and is to write to Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott asking for a rethink.

He said: "I am amazed at the proposals they have drawn up. There were two perfectly sensible options for East Lancashire - one covering Blackburn with Darwen, Hyndburn and the Ribble Valley and the other Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale.

"The other option was a single East Lancashire wide authority.

"But they have managed to come up with neither. It's a real mess.

"These are completely witless proposals and I shall be writing to the Deputy Prime Minister asking for a rethink with at least an East Lancashire wide authority as an option. I don't suppose I shall get it but I have to try.

"I also think its unacceptable to obliterate the name of Darwen in a new Blackburn with Hyndburn Council. I am sure Janet Anderson, the town's MP, will have something to say on that."

"The two councils proposed are completely unequal in size. Blackburn with Hyndburn is too small and the East Lancashire authority is too big. My constituents in Haslingden live in Rossendale and what have they got in common with people in Slaidburn and Longridge in the Ribble Valley 35 miles away?"