A BODY has been launched in East Lancashire aimed at promoting community cohesion.

East Lancs Together will co-ordinate policies, strategies and specific initiatives aimed at promoting and strengthening unity between different communities in the area.

The new initiative will also oversee the delivery of the East Lancs Community Cohesion Pathfinder programme. one of only 14 programmes nationally, funded by the Government, to improve understanding, tolerance and respect for different sections of the community.

The body will be made up of Burnley, Hyndburn, Pendle and Rossendale Councils, the four respective Local Strategic Partnerships and Community Safety Partnerships, the County Council, Lancashire Police, Elevate East Lancashire (the Housing Market Renewal Pathfinder for East Lancashire), the Commission for Racial Equality and various inter-faith organisations.

The body will assist the partner organisations deliver services across East Lancashire to promote community cohesion.

Peter Kenyon, chairman of the new scheme, said: "I am really encouraged that at long last the five Local Authorities have come together to promote this initiative. "There is obviously a very pressing need for what East Lancs Together is doing and to bring our diverse communities together."

The organisation was launched at Burnley Town Hall on Monday.

The launch event will be followed later this summer by a conference for community and voluntary partners.

Under the terms of reference, a set of values are proposed. These include "that having a diversity of groups, faiths and cultures is a key strength of our society and a major source of civic and community wealth" and "that mutual respect and equality of opportunity between different groups, faiths and cultures should be fundamental tenets of civic and social behaviour and that working to achieve this is one of the hallmarks of an enlightened and mature society."