DEMOCRACY day is drawing nearer for residents and groups who want to have more say on local affairs.

Six new area boards for the borough will officially come into existence next month after years of anticipation.

Town hall bosses are still thrashing out most of the details concerning who will be on the committees and what powers they will have.

But they expect that all the new boards will be fully up and running by September.

The boards will cover six areas of the borough: Prestwich, Whitefield and Unsworth, Ramsbottom and Tottington, Radcliffe, Bury West and Bury East.

Definitely sitting on the boards will be all the elected councillors for each area. They will be joined by representatives from "bona fide" organisations - individuals representing only themselves are not allowed - but who, how and when these are to be chosen is still being worked out. However, it is thought these will be drawn from the police, health service, business, sports, tenants and voluntary groups.

The decisions of the boards will be fed through to leading members of Bury Council who sit on the cabinet.

The law says that only elected councillors can vote on matters which involve spending the council's cash, but the boards may be given small grants. Full-time co-ordinators will be based in each area to liaise with local groups and support the boards.

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