A MEETING has been called for by Rossendale Council's new leader Coun Graham Pearson in a bid to force a re-think on the decision to leave the borough out of a renewal cash windfall for East Lancashire.

Last year housing minister Lord Falconer visited Rossendale to see the areas problems, as part of a wider visit to run-down area of East Lancashire.

But when the cash help was announced, Rossendale was excluded from the grants.

Coun Pearson and deputy leader Coun David Hancock spoke to Rossendale and Darwen MP Janet Anderson to try to push for neighbourhood renewal cash.

He said: "We have asked Janet to see if she can arrange an early meeting for members and officers to put our case.

"To look at what is proposed we are the hole in the middle of a mint -- all surrounding boroughs, apart from Bury, are getting financial help.

"If our houses are not in as poor a condition as other boroughs we don't want to miss out on the money only for our houses to get worse.

"We are hoping to have a meeting in the next two to three weeks when we want to push our cause."