MORE than 100 people gathered at Bacup Leisure Hall to air their views on a forthcoming bid for regeneration cash.

The packed public meeting was organised by Bacup and Stacksteads Community Partnership in readiness for a £5million outline bid from the Single Regeneration Budget.

Draft proposals of what the extra cash would be used for were displayed and members of the public were asked for their views on the plans.

Partnership vice-chairman Coun Michael McShea, said: "This was our third public meeting and we have always had a good response but this was excellent.

"It is a bid on behalf of the community and they know best what needs to be improved within the area.

"We had an idea what they wanted from previous meetings and now it just needs fine tuning before we submit the outline bid.

"They were really enthusiastic and we need to continue to build on that.

"We need to improve the image of the town and hopefully we will show that it is a place worthy of visiting and worthy of investing in."

It was also decided at the meeting that a community forum, consisting of members of the public who want to be more involved in their town, should be established.

The partnership's outline bid must be submitted by Friday, February 25 and if it is accepted a final bid will be made by the end of June.

Community partnership vice-chairman Coun McShea is pictured, left, discussing the regeneration proposals with chairman Derek Allen, second left, Tim Calder and Dorothy Nield.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.