A VISION for the future of the North West has been blasted by town hall chiefs for virtually ignoring East Lancashire.

The North West Regional Development Agency has drawn up its first major policy document which outlines a strategy to regenerate the region over the next 20 years.

But East Lancashire council staff were shocked at how little the area was mentioned.

The strategy focuses on five main aims: to attract the skilled and talented to the region; bring people into community life; improve the environment; develop creativity and promote innovation and put the North West at the top of the list for new investment. But a report to Blackburn with Darwen Council's regeneration committee reveals: "Manchester and Liverpool feature heavily in this document, but there is little mention of East Lancashire."

The report tells councillors that the role of groups such as the East Lancashire Partnership, which combines councils, the health authority and several other agencies are "underplayed."

It adds: "It is worrying to note that the economic growth sectors identified in this document, which will be supported by the regional development agency, are not well represented in East Lancashire with the exception of aerospace.

"The manufacturing sector, which gives Lancashire much of its character, does not receive significant attention in the strategy.

"The North West region is not an economic unit and there needs to be more emphasis placed on the needs of sub-regional economies."

Blackburn with Darwen Council's remarks are to be fed into a general East Lancashire wide response to the document, which is likely to leave development agency bosses in no doubt as to the feelings of councillors.

The regeneration committee will discuss the strategy on Tuesday.

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