CAMBRIDGE man Brian Hobbs who came to Burnley in the 1970s and fell in love with the town has been chosen to chair the Burnley Action Partnership for the next three years.

The partnership was set up this year to bring the town's community, voluntary and private sector organisations together to create and oversee the implementation of a long term action plan for a better Burnley.

The group must also oversee the implementation of the Task Force report recommendations -- the report into the causes of last year's riots.

Brian will be supported by vice-chairmen -- the leader of Burnley Borough Council Stuart Caddy and Shahid Malik, who represents the community sector.

Brian said: "We have some of the most deprived neighbourhoods in the country. This is still a great town populated by some of the most dedicated and caring people I have ever met.

"That dedication will help drive the development of Burnley through the 21st century. If we take all that is good about Burnley, spend time looking at and planning the future of the town, it offers great opportunities to effectively start from scratch and build a new and innovative infrastructure of networks and partnerships, based on radical thinking.

"The world is a large and exciting place and there is no reason why, with the application and wider vision, Burnley cannot play its part in shaping the future of our region, East Lancashire and the north west of England too."

As well as following up the recommendations of the Burnley Task Force, the partnership will be responsible for creating a long-term community plan for the borough.

Brian, a father-of-three, lives in the Piccadilly area of Burnley and runs his own financial services company in the town.