AT a time when East Lancashire has suffered a series of hard blows to its economy, with hundreds of jobs -- mainly in manufacturing -- being axed in recent weeks, the announcement today that 230 new white-collar jobs are to be created in Blackburn is a doubly welcome boost.

But as well as helping to offset these recent losses, these extra jobs -- coming to the new £5million business centre being set up by Capita, the private-sector company which earlier this year won a giant deal to take over many of Blackburn with Darwen Council's services -- are special because of their very nature.

They stem from a £500million contract Capita has won for the national administration of the BBC television licence and will lead to the setting up of a new customer centre in Blackburn.

But it is the fact that they are office jobs and additional to those being switched to Capita from the town hall that is significant for East Lancashire's economic and employment prospects.

For while all new jobs of any sort are welcome and needed, the creation of more in the white collar sector is a vital boost towards lessening our region's over-dependence on industry -- which, just as recent cutbacks prove, makes us more vulnerable to job losses when downturn hits manufacturing.

By establishing a strong office skills base in our region, we can weather economic hard times more easily. And for far too long East Lancashire has lived in the shadow of Preston in the field of white-collar employment.

When the Capita deal was signed with the council, it was forecast that the new Blackburn business centre would generate 500 extra jobs within five years.

This BBC deal bringing 230 new ones shows that the promise looks good -- especially for the safeguarding of East Lancashire's future and prosperity.