HYNDBURN Borough Council has officially unveiled its £1.9 million office complex.

The plush new Scaitcliffe House, on Scaitfcliffe Street, Accrington - the former site of SDL Trophies Group - will be the base for the council's operations after a move from their Eagle Street home.

The move was necessary because the council's 10-year lease was coming to an end leaving it with a £600,000 debt.

The three-storey building has been transformed from an engineering factory to house 100 staff.

It includes meeting rooms, reception areas, a first aid room, and the council's IT and accounts departments.

Opening the offices, Hyndburn's Mayor Councillor Sandra Hayes said: "I look at this as a new beginning for the council, and let's make it a new start. We have to go on, go ahead and do better than we have, move forward by working together to benefit the people of the borough."

Council leader, Coun Ian Ormerod, said the sale of the freehold of the town's Arndale Centre four years ago had generated £1.4 million towards the cost of the project. The rest of the money came from accumulated profits from the Globe Centre in which the council has a one-third stake.

"Finally we have our own premises. It's quite magnificent. The tax payers of Hyndburn have got an excellent facility and we have got a splendid new building," he said.

The opening also gave the council the opportunity to present a £100 cheque to the winner of a competition to name the building, Mary Greenhalgh, of Yew Tree Drive, Oswaldtwistle.

She said: "I thought we would keep it traditional because this area is Scaitcliffe. I was amazed when they rang me - it's not every day you win £100."

A cheque was also presented to six-year-old Lauren Prestage, of Hargreaves Road, who nominated Queen Elizabeth House in the competition.