NEW one-stop shops could be created across Blackburn with Darwen in a bid to make it easier for people to contact the council.

The centres would be opened inside social services offices and community centres and be designed to provide information on all council services.

Blackburn with Darwen Council's ruling Labour group has set aside £1.25million from this year's budget to help fund the implementation of its Accessible Services Strategy.

At the heart of the plan is the creation of a contact centre, which would enable people to ring one number and be able to speak to staff trained to deal with the majority of inquiries.

And instead of having to visit either Blackburn or Darwen Town Hall to access services or get information, people would be able to visit new one-stop shops across the borough.

They would also open longer hours.

The £1.25million is expected to help establish pilot one-stop shops and help prepare for the call centre, while at the same time helping to re-train staff to work in the new facilities. Coun John Milburn, in charge of resources, said: "I am confident this project will deliver improvements to the efficiency and effectiveness of council services over the next 10 years.

"We will be increasing council opening hours, expanding the range of ways local people can contact us and ensuring the council keeps pace with changing technologies and changes in the lives of citizens.

"We feel investing in this important area will deliver savings in the long term."

One-stop shops are becoming more and more common after Liverpool pioneered them in the late 1990s.