TOWNS in Hyndburn could be given individual councils as early as next year in a major shake-up of decision-making in the borough.

Tory leader of Hyndburn Council Peter Britcliffe, has announced plans to split the borough into five separate power bases.

Under the reorganisation, Great Harwood and Rishton, Clayton-le-Moors and Church, Accrington North, including Huncoat, Accrington South, including Baxenden and Oswaldtwistle would all have their own councils, chosen because of their roughly equal populations.

The set-up could be similar to the situation in Pendle, where five different committees decide on a specific area's issues, such as planning and housing, before final decisions are taken at full borough council level.

Hyndburn could also introduce a cabinet which would issue policy guidelines from the group in power, currently the Conservatives.

Local representatives from each town, such as residents and traders, could also sit on the councils and influence decisions.

Each council would have its own budget, plus an area office and manager to help them find their feet.

The council is drawing up suggestions for reshaping electoral wards in the borough, which will be submitted to the Local Government Commission for England, in a bid to help them restructure the council.

A pilot scheme is set to the test the water on the new set-up in the new year - and Coun Britcliffe believes it will be a make-or-break issue at next year's local elections.

He said: "This is our devolution revolution. We want to give power back to people in all of Hyndburn's towns and give them an arena to shout about what affects them most in their own area.

"We have got to change the way the council is run and by devolving, we will slim down the centre and make Hyndburn a more efficient, effective and dynamic local authority.

"If we are returned to power in May these councils will be set up, so it is the people's choice at the ballot box. This is a major step that will affect everyone's life."

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