'Golden age of jobs'

Pendle has won £5 million, opening the door to a £16 million investment of public and private money over the next seven years to create jobs, set up scores of businesses, build and improve homes and help kids to a better life.

In addition the borough will share, through an East Lancashire Partnership bid, in another £3.7 million Single Regeneration Budget jackpot, triggering a total £12 million spending to provide a jobs , transport and community boost to villages throughout Pendle.

There was massive and unexpected good news too for Burnley and Rossendale with the announcement that they would be given assisted area status, allowing them to apply for millions of pounds worth of special grants to aid businesses and create jobs.

Pendle has been given a different form of assisted area status which will see grant help given to small businesses employing up to 250 people.

East Lancashire as a whole was a major winner in the new Government awards announced today, with more than £30 million being pumped into several SRB schemes across the area, triggering a possible total of £120 million spending over the next decade. Hyndburn, Blackburn with Darwen, Ribble Valley, will join Rossendale and Burnley with assisted area status - and a share of the hundreds of millions of pounds investment earmarked for the region. Pendle's "Opening doors, unlocking opportunities" bid will target aid on the borough's most deprived area's - Waterside and Vivary Bridge in Colne, Bradley and Whitefield in Nelson and Brierfield.

More than 350 jobs will be created or safeguarded, 2000 people will be helped into employment, 1,500 pupils will be helped to reach higher levels of attainment and there will be support for more than 200 voluntary organisations.

In addition 155 new business start ups are envisaged and nearly 200 homes built or improved.

Rural areas will also benefit from £12million of cash thanks to a joint bid submitted for the Ribble Valley and Pendle areas along with Lancaster.

The cash will be used to promote job creation in rural towns and villages were there are currently few jobs on offer meaning residents have to commute to nearby larger towns.

Community centres and village halls will be set up to be used as a centre for people wanting to set up new business.

And they will also be used as a base for services such as health and child care to be provided at village level rather than residents having to travel to larger towns. In Pendle Laneshawbridge, Trawden, Foulridge Kelbrook and Salterforth along with Pendleside villages will all benefit.

Pendle Liberal leader Alan Davies and council leader when the bids were submitted, was cock-a-hoop over today's announcements.

"It is brilliant news - we have got everything we asked for.

"It is the result of a carefully-planned strategy which has clearly been appreciated by the Government."

In Burnley, council leader Stuart Caddy said he was elated by the announcement of assisted area status.

"It should make a big difference to Burnley," he added.

Burnley's director of economic development Hugh Simpson said: "It is very good news which will help Burnley attract and keep businesses and encourage existing firms to grow."

Pendle businessman and North West Development Agency board member Dennis Mendoras added: "I am delighted that East Lancashire has received the support it deserves and am confident NWDA funds will improve the areas we live and work in, providing the help that has been desperately needed for a long time."

Burnley Council leader Stuart Caddy said he was delighted the government had recognised Burnley's case which alongside the Challenge Fund and Euro money gave the town a better chance to regenerate itself.

"I look forward to the jobs that will be created by the increasing levels of private sector investment in Burnley as a result of this decision. It is very good news for Burnley,'' he added.

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