THE people of Hyndburn will be asked if they want to change the borough's name during a referendum next year.

Voters will be asked if they would prefer something such as Accrington and District and whether they are in favour of a radical shake-up of local government to a new system of area council's.

Making the announcement at a policy and resources committee yesterday, Council leader Peter Britcliffe said: "I am proposing a borough-wide referendum on the same day as the local elections next May.

"Everything is up for grabs, nothing is sacred and even the possibility of a new name for our council is not beyond the realms of possibility.

"One of the questions will be 'do you want to keep the name Hyndburn. Would you prefer something like Accrington and district'."

The idea of area councils is to devolve power to different areas of the borough. Proposals are in the early stages but council chiefs could decide to give a cluster of wards certain powers such as cleaning and local planning issues.

A pilot area council will be established in Oswaldtwistle in late February next year.

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