ROSSENDALE is to get its own sports development officer who will fight to get lottery cash to boost facilities in the district's schools.

The lack of a sports development officer and up-to-date strategic review of sports facilities have delayed decisions on bids to Sport England for lottery grants, but the new post is now expected to be advertised in the next few days.

Decisions on bids for community sports facilities at Fearns High School and for sports halls at Whitworth and Alder Grange, Rawtenstall, high schools have affected by the lack of a sports development officer.

Acting borough leisure officer Ken Claxon said the post would be advertised imminently, probably in the next few days.

The three-year post will be jointly funded by the council and Sport England and it is hoped the position will be filled by mid-September to early October.

There are similar plans to appoint an arts development officer with joint funding with the Arts Council. Mr Claxon said Rossendale was one of only a couple of authorities in Lancashire not to have a sports development officer. A bridleways application by Rossendale Groundwork had been refused because of that, but everything was being done to fill the post.

Part of the duties would be to take part in a review of the council's sports strategy.

Neil Thornley, head at Fearns, said: "We have a lottery bid in for considerably more than £1 million for the development of community sports facilities. Quite separately, Alder Grange and Whitworth high schools have put in for sports halls. They are mainly for educational use while ours is mainly for community use."

Recently, representatives of Sport England had visited the school wondering why three local schools were applying for sports halls.

Mr Thornley said they had seen the topography of the area and understood the difficulty of transport between different parts of Rossendale.

He added: "As far as we are concerned, the issue is on hold until such time as there is a review of sports facilities in the area."