Home rule drive

Campaigners on the Town Council Steering Group need the support of a least 10 per cent of residents and they hope to have this completed and to get government approval in time for the borough council elections in May.

"It is possible to do it with a fair wind and a willing borough council," said campaigner Fred Moor.

"The borough council's job is to look after the whole of Fylde. If there is a town council for St Annes it could provide a voice for the town."

At present there are 14 parish councils in the Fylde area which cost from nothing to 30p per week per household.

"It depends what level of service people want to council to provide," said Mr Moor. "It could get by with very little expense at all with an advocacy role."

On the other hand a town or parish council may wish to top up borough council services.

Mr Moor said there was discontent about the way St Annes was developing.

"The new improved St Annes is what seems to be upsetting people -- the change in the character and nature of the town, loss of public buildings which are not replaced and developments which are out of character with the town."

In taking their petition the group plan to use the St Annes boundary as it was before the merger with Lytham in the 1920s rather than current ward boundaries.

"The steering group were particularly concerned that the boundary should reflect the true community identity of St Annes rather than a boundary created for administrative convenience," said group member John Bentham.

The town would be bounded by Blackpool to the north with Wesby and Plumpton to the east. To the south the boundary would be along St Paul's Avenue, Roseberry Avenue, across the golf course and along Smithy Lane, crossing Heyhouses Lane and North Houses Lane and Moss Hall Lane to reach Westby with Plumpton across the moss land.

There is more information about the town council plan on www.stannes-web.co.uk.