AN INITIATIVE has been launched in Blackburn and Darwen aimed at uniting people and fostering a sense of civic pride.

The council, the police, Blackburn Diocese and the Lancashire Council of Mosques say their Belonging campaign can lead people to reject racism, prejudice and intolerance. But not everyone has given the scheme full backing. DANNY BRIERLEY reports.

WHEN the Belonging campaign was launched at Ewood Park in January, a charter aimed at uniting people was unveiled and duly signed by everyone who attended the event.

It was drawn up by the man chosen to head the campaign, the Ven John Hawley, Archdeacon of Blackburn.

Mr Hawley said experience of working within a similarly mixed and racially diverse community in Dewsbury, West Yorkshire, and in some of Britain's poorest towns, helped him to formulate the declarations in it with the help of other representatives from a local partnership.

As well as a charter, the partnership drew up a social inclusion plan which outlines five objectives for the campaign. They are to:

Strengthen leadership and committment from all sections of the community.

Promote respect and pride in a diverse Blackburn with Darwen with a civic identity that incorporates all people from all different backgrounds.

Tackle hatred, prejudice, racism and hate crime.

Promote equality of opportunity and social inclusion.

Build positive relations between people of different backgrounds.

Mr Hawley explained: "The charter is a major logistical exercise to try to get as many people within Blackburn and Darwen as we can to sign it."

Conservative group leader at Blackburn with Darwen Council, Colin Rigby, said he signed the charter straight away and had no problem with its content. And Liberal Democrat leader Paul Browne said the move had his backing.

The initiative was also praised by Blackburn's MP Jack Straw and council leader Sir Bill Taylor.

But not everyone at the town hall is enamoured with this campaign and the council has been unable to publicly say how much taxpayers' money has been devoted to it, despite being given more than a week to do so.

Paul McGurty, a Conservative councillor for Corporation Park, said he was not going to sign the document and is one of several who have raised objections to it.

Coun McGurty said: "I didn't sign because, essentially, we have our own policies that address these issues. I don't need the Labour Party to articulate my opinions. I don't disagree with anything in the charter but I don't believe it could significantly change someone's opinion.

"If a member of a far-right group signed it would that mean they were no longer a racist? Probably not."

Edward Harrison, another Conservative councillor, said after signing the charter he asked for his support to be withdrawn. He added: "There are quite a lot of councillors who haven't signed it because we are waiting for advice from Conservative Central Office."