THE first Citizen's Jury was launched at the University of Central Lancashire this week.

The jury, set up as a joint initiative by the county council, 12 local authorities, and two unitary councils to obtain views from the public about who to deal with municipal waste during the next 20 years, consisted of 16 people from a cross-section of Lancashire's population.

During five days the jury listened to experts' opinions about how the waste can be reduced, recycled, composted or incinerated.

At the end of the sessions the jury will make recommendations to assist councillors in making important decisions into the new Millennium.

County council leader John West said: "The jury is another first for Lancashire, and is an important part of our modernisation strategy to strengthen local democracy."

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