PENDLE Council is to tell the Boundaries Committee it would prefer a unitary authority linking it to Burnley and Rossendale if the public votes for a shake- up of councils.

A Lancashire or East Lancashire-wide council would be "unwieldy and impractical", councillors decided at a meeting of the full council. Submissions must be made to the Committee by February 23 to allow it to evaluate the best boundaries for authorities.

Pendle has only three options and councillors declared the option of linking with Burnley and Pendle "the best one on offer".

Pendle Liberal Democrat chairman Lord Tony Greaves last week described the plans as a "recipe devised by madmen".