EAST Lancashire's political map is set to be redrawn in a bid to cope with changing population patterns.

New electoral arrangements for the boroughs of Burnley, Chorley, Hyndburn, Pendle, Ribble Valley, Rossendale and South Ribble have been unveiled by the Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions.

Orders allowing the changes to take place were signed by local government minister Alan Whitehead earlier this month.

Effectively, all wards will be abolished and replaced with news ones, although some names may stay the same. The changes will be implemented in time for next year's local elections, except in Ribble Valley, where the new structure will be launched in May 2003.

Burnley will have one less ward, with the boundaries of all but two wards being modified. All wards will be represented by three members, giving a total of 45 councillors, three less than at present.

Hyndburn will have 16 wards, one less than at present. All wards will have their boundaries modified. Three wards will have three councillors each, 13 will be represented by two members, giving a total of 35 councillors, some 12 less than at present.

The number of wards in Pendle will rise to 20, with all but three wards being modified. Some 13 wards will have three members, three will have two and four will be represented by one member, giving a total of 49 councillors, two less than at present. Ribble Valley keeps the same number of wards, 24, but all bar three have had their boundaries modified to given so each councillor is serving a similar proportion of the population. A total of 16 wards will be represented by two members and eight will be represented by one, making 40 councillors which is one more than at present.

In Rossendale, one more ward is being created taking the total to 14. Only one ward remains unchanged. Eight wards have three councillors while six wards have two councillors each, bringing an unchanged total of 36.

In Chorley there will be 20 wards, two less than at present. Only three wards will not have their boundaries changed. Ten wards will be represented by three members, seven by two and three by one, giving a total of 47 councillors, one less than at present.

And in South Ribble, five new wards are to be created, making a total of 27. All but one of the existing wards have been modified. One ward has three councillors while the remaining 26 are served by two, bringing a total of 55 councillors, one more than present.

Full elections are being held in each of the areas.