A POLITICAL storm has erupted after a county councillor claimed people living in Blackburn and Darwen were no longer part of Lancashire.

Coun Jean Yates's comments followed a decision by the county council to erect signs welcoming people to Lancashire on roads leading out of Blackburn and Darwen.

Although Blackburn with Darwen has been a unitary authority since 1998 - meaning it is not controlled by the county council - leader Sir Bill Taylor said today it still considered itself part of Lancashire.

The signs also carry the county's catchphrase 'A place where everyone matters'.

Locations for the new signs include School Lane, Guide; Blackburn Road, Rishton and Blackburn Road, Oswaldtwistle.

Hyndburn Council leader Peter Britcliffe said: "I was very surprised when these signs popped up because it isn't as if Blackburn split away yesterday.

"I think it is more to do with promoting Lancashire County Council's brand than anything else but Blackburn is an integral part of Lancashire whether they like it or not."

And Coun Taylor said: Coun Taylor said: "We certainly consider ourselves to be part of Lancashire and I am sure people who live within this area do as well.

"We try to work with the county council on many things but just because they don't run services in our borough, it doesn't mean we aren't part of Lancashire."

But county councillor Yates, who is responsible for highways and transportation, said: "We decided to put these signs up as part of a review of all our signage in Lancashire.

"We wanted to make the county's roads more attractive.

"People are already commenting on how welcoming the signs are.

"People in Southport and Greater Manchester still like to think of themselves as part of Lancashire, but they are not.

"Boundary changes caused that and the same is true with Blackburn with Darwen."

But Darwen Tory councillor, Paul McGurty, said: "The difference between us and Southport is that we actually still are in Lancashire, right in the heart of it. A cynic would draw a link between these signs promoting the county council and the fact the regional assembly referendum is on the way, which will give people the chance to vote for which sort of council structure they would like to see. It is a nonsense."

Signs have also been placed on roads leading out of Blackpool, the other unitary council in Lancashire. A spokesman for the Association of British Counties (ABC) said the move was a further departure from the traditional Lancashire boundaries.

He said: "ABC encourages the use of the historic counties in postal addressing, in guide books, on boundary signs and maps and encourages their further use as a basis for sporting, social and cultural activities and organisations.

"That is instead of using local government boundaries. Counties are important cultural entities. Above all else, they're places - places where people live, places they are proud to come from."