LIFELONG learning for all is essential for Lancashire's future prosperity, according to the county's new "skills supremo."

Steve Palmer, executive director of the Lancashire Learning and Skills Council (LSC), which will take over responsibility for all training and education after high school in the county from April, said: "Our future opportunities for growth will be severely hampered unless we can significantly boost the development of all our workforce."

Mr Palmer, speaking at the launch of the LSC, said only by developing skills and learning, not just for workers but everyone aged 16 upwards, would the county be able to able to compete worldwide.

The LSC, which will have an annual budget of more than £100 million, outlined the business and community leaders who will sit on its 16-strong board including, from East Lancashire, Jeff Cowburn, of Blackburn-based Training 2000, Derek Hall, personnel manager with Scapa, of Blackburn, and North West Development Agency non-executive director Kath Reade, of Burnley.

LSC chairman Alan Dick said the new organisation, which was created in a government shake-up of training and business support services nationwide, would "be a powerful voice for all customers of training and education, from local employers to individual learners."

He added: "We have secured the support of key business people and leading representatives of the education sector and the local community."

The LSC will be based in Preston and will include staff from the existing ELTEC and LAWTEC groups it will succeed. The board will hold its first meeting a week on Monday.

Mr Palmer accepted the new system was "a hell of a change" and the biggest shake-up of the training and skills industry in more than 60 years.

He added: "We need to rapidly become a centre of excellence by increasing the quality and relevance of training provision. We will create a new culture."