PEOPLE have just two weeks left to have their say on how they want to spend £75,000 of grant aid.

Residents living in the Hoddlesden area can tell the council how they want the regeneration cash spent.

East Rural ward Councillor Fred Slater, who helped to secure the £75,000, said it would fund a community regeneration project, to run over the next three years.

The scheme, known as the East Rural Community Regeneration Zone, is part of a government pilot to improve services for rural areas.

Coun Slater said it was quite unusual for rural wards to be allocated a grant as cash was normally awarded to schemes in urban areas.

Questionnaires have been distributed to 800 residents.

These forms should be completed and returned by September 18. They asks for resident's views on issues such as transport, crime and personal safety.

Other questions tackle the subjects of speeding traffic and juvenile nuisance.

Residents are also given space in which to provide their own ideas on how they feel the area should be revamped.

Coun Slater said: "We want to ask people what they want, put all the results together and decide how the money should be spent."

He said some questionnaires had already been returned and added: "We urge people to send them in and what they want we will try to supply -- within reason. This money is for the rural area as the countryside has been quite hard hit recently."

Coun Slater said he anticipated people would like to see cash spent on traffic calming through villages. He added that he believed the provision of facilities for the elderly and teenagers was also high on people's priorities, as well as the environmental issues.

But he added the remit of the scheme was widespread and said it would be good to "put community spirit back into the place."

Completed forms can be posted in any of the collection boxes at the post office, St Paul's Church and St Paul's School.

There are also boxes at the Village Chippy and the Rankin Arms, Rosins, Duke of York and Red Lion pubs.