THE leader of Lancashire County Council today promised the area's historic red rose would remain in the authority's logo.

Coun Hazel Harding issued the assurance after it was revealed that the authority was reviewing its corporate identity as part of the Local Government Act 2000.

Part of the review include looking at the council's corporate identity, seeing how people reacted to it and -- most importantly -- if people associated it with Lancashire County Council.

Privately, officials said that if the red rose logo was deemed not to be fulfilling its role, it could go. But today Coun Harding said initial consultation had revealed that people were immensely proud of their rose -- which dates back to the 13th century -- and that she could never see it being removed. The logo, which has not changed since 1974, includes the famous Tudor Red Rose and the words Lancashire County Council.

When the possibility of losing the red rose was revealed Ribble Valley County Coun Chris Holtom said: "It is outrageous for it even to be considered. It is the logo of Lancashire.

"There is no way anything else could possibly be put in its place."

Staff at County Hall also expressed dismay.

But today, Coun Harding said: "As an authority serving Lancashire, I can never imagine us using anything other than the red rose and our consultation so far has indicated this.

"I am Lancashire born and bred and am immensely proud of the rose.

"However, people are telling us that the logo does not convey the message that we are a forward thinking council so it might well have to change.

"That could mean changing how the rose looks.

"After all, there are many forms of rose and it could be that a new one is used in the future instead of the current Tudor rose.

"It could be that what we have now is not conveying the right message and we have to address that."

Consultations by the county council have indicated that the rose continues to be a symbol of pride to Lancastrians, said Coun Harding.

A county spokesman said: "The red rose will always be the symbol to represent the county council and the people of Lancashire.

"It will be at the heart of a modern logo, image and identity for the county council."