EAST Lancashire councils are set to get £34million over the next two years to help improve life in rundown communities.

The move came after it was revealed that East Lancashire will have to wait until next year before getting its share of the Government's £500million to regenerate run-down housing stock.

In total, there are nine pathfinder areas, of which three -- Manchester, Merseyside and Newcastle -- will get major funding this year.

But six other Pathfinder areas -- including East Lancashire -- are to get just £4million to start on the work and will not receive their main allocation until the 2004/5 financial year.

The Government has, however, announced the fresh wave of Neighbourhood Renewal Funding which can be used for environmental, housing, health and education scheme.

Blackburn with Darwen will receive £4,334,824 a year, Burnley £1,273,270, Hyndburn £1,293,636 and Pendle £1,960,942.

Across the country, £800 million is being pumped into 88 designated 'Neighbourhood Renewal' areas.

The cash announcement came on the same day Burnley MP Peter Pike tackled a housing minister in the Commons to plead for more money to sort out housing in the area.

Mr Pike asked for a commitment to early action on East Lancashire's proposals to spend £280million to transform dilapidated East Lancashire homes.

And Housing Minister Tony McNulty promised that there would be a long-term commitment to improving East Lancashire.

He explained that with five councils involved -- Blackburn with Darwen, Burnley, Hyndburn, Pendle and Rossendale -- and the scale of the problems of rundown privately owned Victorian housing in the area, it might not be possible to provide the full allocation this year.

Afterwards Mr Pike said: "I've got what I expected. There was a promise of a long term commitment and the possibility of earlier cash for East Lancashire if it could 'come up on the rails.'