COUNCIL leaders in East Lancashire need to give greater priority to protecting and enhancing local hills and moorlands, a conference was told.

Senior officers from Blackburn with Darwen, Hyndburn, Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale met in Bradford on Friday to discuss the future strategy of SCOSPA, the Standing Conference of South and West Pennine Authorities.

North West Liberal Democrat Euro MP Chris Davies, giving the key note speech, accused local authorities of paying lip service to the need for co-ordinated action, while in fact too often remaining disinterested and detached, working in isolation and doing only the bare minimum.

"Our local hills are sandwiches between the Yorkshire Dales and the Lake District National Parks," he said. "Their importance is internationally acknowledged yet they have no special legal recognition and are under constant threat from developers of different kinds.

"Much more needs to be done to protect wildlife and plants while helping the seven million people living within an hour's travelling distance to enjoy them to the full."

He called on local political leaders to be more ambitious and to draw up an action plan to reverse the environmental degradation of the moors, help local farmers and improve access for visitors.

The meeting agreed to seek discussions with council leader and officers throughout the area about the way forward.