A CONFERENCE in Blackpool gave the thumbs up to plans to "give power to the people" by providing them with a greater say in the town's decision-making process.

The gathering of community and voluntary sector representatives welcomed the development of six multi-agency Area Forums and the establishment of a community network.

Barry Navarro, community development co-ordinator for Blackpool Council, said that "the proposals for Area Forums were the main part of a developing structure for involvement that not only involves local people but is led by local people."

Area Forums will be launched in October and will be open to any resident of Blackpool. They will discuss local issues and work with local councillors and public agencies to address them.

Each Forum will elect a representative to sit on the board of Blackpool Challenge Partnership

Delegates were also given details about the Government's Community Empowerment Fund which will provide around £360,000 over three years to ensure that local people have their own funding to use for training community representatives, communicating with communities and employing a worker of their own, rather than relying on agencies.

The conference agreed proposals for developing a network to manage and spend the fund that will be drawn from representatives across the town.

Matthew MacDonald, chief executive of Blackpool, Wyre & Fylde Council for Voluntary Service, welcomed the development of forums and community network.

He said: "The Community Empowerment Fund is designed so that Blackpool's voluntary and community sectors have financial resources to equip themselves to work with professionals on a equal partnership basis.

"For too long community and voluntary sector groups have been the poor relations in partnerships set up between them and public and private organisations."