A LEADING councillor has called on the people of Hyndburn to join forces to access thousands of pounds of funding for community projects.

Borough council cabinet member Coun David Myles said that by forming residents associations neighbourhoods could apply for funding not available to the local authority.

Coun Myles, who represents Altham, has already helped to set up two new residents associations with the help of his colleagues Couns Tim O'Kane and Miles Parkinson.

One of them, Enfield Residents Association, has already secured £45,000 funding for a new play area after forming in August.

"One of the main reasons we are keen on setting them up is that there are so many pots of money outside organisations can go for that the council can't," said Coun Myles.

"It also gets them involved in the community.

"If we can get people more involved with their communities they have more ownership.

"The more involved people are prepared to be in their community the better.

"At the end of the day they are living in that community and their one way of having a voice is through the ballot box but these residents associations are another really good way of having a say on what goes on in the community."

Enfield Residents Association's received £30,000 for the children's play area as part of a legal agreement signed by Barratt's when they built the nearby Sefton Farm housing estate. The rest of the money was provided by Hyndburn Council. Another group, Stanley Residents Association, was only set up a month ago but committee members have submitted a bid for an area council grant to buy computer equipment for their community, and are considering applying for a Government landfill tax grant and other funding for a landscaping project and picnic area in Whinney Hill Road.

"Landfill tax is money the council can't get but these groups can. As councillors we are backing these residents associations and we are going to help them as much as we possibly can with finding these grants and getting them," said Coun Myles.