A COUNCIL leader named among Britain's top politicians today revealed the secret of his success.

Bill Taylor, who has served in Blackburn for 23 years, was named one of the country's 15 top-performing elected members of the last 12 months.

The 50-year-old father of two, who represents the Audley ward in Blackburn, was named by Local Government Chronicle, a weekly magazine for the public sector

He was named No.5 on the list, although the magazine insists that there was no particular order for the councillors.

Over the last 12 months, Blackburn with Darwen has jointly won the LGC-sponsored Council of the Year award and was one of two councils in the North West to be given an "excellent" rating in the first Government council inspections.

But Bill, a Blackburn Rovers season ticket holder and youth worker for Lancashire County Council in the Ribble Valley, said: "While it is nice to be recognised, I think they are honouring the council as a whole.

"The achievements they listed aren't things I have done by myself but have been achieved as a team. We have an excellent team here.

"I grew up on a Birmingham council estate and didn't have a particularly pleasant childhood, although that is not something I wear on my sleeve.

"But I got a good education and got to go to university. I had chances.

"I want to make sure all the other Bill Taylors out there have the same chances. That's the motivation."

During his time on Blackburn with Darwen Council, Bill has served as chairman of the finance and recreation committees as well as heading the education department when the council became a unitary authority in 1998. He became leader in 2001 and has also acted as Jack Straw's election agent since 1980.