LEADER of Rossendale Council, Coun Graham Pearson has announced he is set to stand down from his role.

He says health reasons have forced him to make a decision that will also see him step down as chairman of the council's corporate policy committee.

Blaming the stress of spending more than 50 hours a week attending council meetings, he said council business had taken its toll since he had heart surgery in 1999.

Coun David Hancock, deputy leader, will assume the leadership of the Labour group and Coun Alyson Barnes will take the deputy role.

Coun Pearson said: "It had been my intention not to offer my name as leader of the Labour group after the next council elections in June 2004.

"However, primarily because of health reasons, I feel that it would be in my best interests to do so now.

"After heart surgery I took early retirement from my job as a teacher but since becoming leader of the council in 2002, the amount of time and effort I have had to devote to this role has taken its toll."

The Hareholme ward councillor added: "After the damning Corporate Governance report in 2002, the council has had to make many changes and take hard decisions to bring about improvement for the residents of Rossendale.

"I firmly believe that those changes are now beginning to make an impact on how we operate as a council.

"This statement of improvement is not just what we ourselves are saying, but is echoed by the very inspection service that condemned Rossendale in the first place.

"I am proud that I have been able to add my part to this improvement."

Coun Pearson will continue as a member of the council representing his ward constituents.