A DEDICATED regeneration team could be set up in Rossendale in a bid to secure millions of pounds for the borough.

Plans include setting up a two or three-person team, partially from existing staff, to access money and deliver regeneration programmes.

Some of the funds available would contribute towards staffing costs and the development and environmental services committee recommended that the council agree to fund the contract of the heritage officer for a minimum of six months from April.

The economic development officer is now based at Stubbylee Hall in Bacup within the new directorate and engineer and planning officer John Cowpe said he was keen to work towards providing a one-stop shop service to businesses and commercial customers.

This would cover economic development, business and grants advice and also help with building control and highways advice.

Vice-chairman of the development and environmental services committee Coun Clive Balchin successfully moved that the corporate policy be recommended to support the continued funding of the heritage officer.

In addition the principle of forming and funding a small team dedicated to regeneration project implementation is endorsed and a further report will come to committee.

And the ideas for improving service to sustain future regeneration and economic activity should become one of the council's primary aims of the short to medium term and the council should work towards the early establishment of a local strategic partnership for Rossendale.