SIX district councils have joined forces with police, the County Council, business groups and colleges, to make sure East Lancashire's voice is heard now that the new regional development agency for the North West is up and running. The East Lancashire Partnership has been set up to compete with Manchester and Liverpool to win government and European money. In the second part of his special report, PAUL SMITH looks in more detail at what Burnley, Blackburn with Darwen, Pendle, Hyndburn, Rossendale and Ribble Valley councils hopes to achieve

PUBLIC TRANSPORT

WHY should Manchester and Sheffield have tram systems when East Lancashire has a similar population to those two cities and the same public transport needs?

That was the question on the lips of councillors from the six East Lancs authorities who are part of the Partnership.

And it was the reason they have set up a feasibility study into the possibility of a tram system to link up the towns in the area better than they have ever been linked before. The opening up of the M65 extension has made access from one end of East Lancashire to the other much easier.

But the overall aim of government policy is to encourage people to use public transport instead of their cars.

In the vision of the East Lancashire Partnership, a tram network would run alongside an improved rail network and better bus and coach services.

A study of present public transport levels in the area proves there is vast room for improvement.

East Lancashire has no comprehensive transport network like major cities such as Manchester, Liverpool and Sheffield have.

On the railways there are no direct services between East Lancashire and London, Birmingham, Liverpool or Glasgow.

Direct services to Manchester or only available on the Clitheroe to Manchester line where services have been among the worst in the country for delays and cancellations and have come under fire from councils, passengers and railways monitors.

And the region is one of the only parts of the North West not to have a direct rail link to the relatively newly opened railway station at Manchester Airport.

In its vision for the future, the East Lancashire Partnership has recognised that public transport needs to be made affordable for everybody and accessible to everybody, including the disabled .

CRIME

VIOLENT crime and drugs related offences are on the increase in East Lancashire according to the latest police figures. The East Lancashire Partnership has recognised that crime levels have links to the quality of life of people in the area.

Crime and community safety have time and time again been put forward as major concerns when people are asked what can be done to improve their neighbourhood.

Improving social conditions by creating better housing conditions and increasing employment opportunities are seen as key factors in tackling crime.

Targeted action to tackle burglary, anti social behaviour and related crimes is likely, with increased attention given to vulnerable groups with the encouragement of better home safety measures and CCTV cameras.

Methods of reducing re-offending and dealing with repeat offenders are likely to be reviewed and crime is increasingly likely to be dealt with at district level under new government laws.

HOUSING

THE partnership has made the link between improved housing and reduced crime levels one of the main aims of its strategy.

But house prices in the area are, at the moment, among the lowest in the country, with one if five homes classified as unfit.

More than 48,000 dwellings in the six districts were considered to be unfit but housing demand is changing from local authority and registered social landlords to private sector housing.

The low wage economy in East Lancashire restricts buying power and surpresses house values in comparison to other regions.

EDUCATION

A FURTHER aim of the partnership is to create a place of learning excellence with youngsters who are, according to partnership documents, "a driving force for a diverse economy based on high value technologies and innovative products."

But educational standards in East Lancashire fall way below those elevated aims and the national exam averages published by the Government.

A third of the East Lancashire work force has no qualifications, the area lags behind the rest of the country in numeracy and literacy and is unlikely to meet Government targets, and there is a low staying-on rate in education among 16 year olds.

Because the area is currently dominated by manufacturing industries, there is a low demand for qualifications and bright youngsters often leave the area.

The increased use of information technology in schools has been pinpointed as one aid that would help youngsters in the area catch up to their national counterparts.

And it is hoped that better education will link in with a more diverse economy, providing the employment opportunities to encourage graduates to stay in the area.

Poor levels of education mean lives in poor houses, which, in turn, means poor health for East Lancashire people in what amounts to a vicious circle.

HEALTH

THE Partnership is hoping that its aim of improving housing in the area we lead to an improvement in health, as currently people tend to live shorter lives in East Lancashire than in the rest of the country.

It is estimated that two in every five people have a 40 per cent extra risk of death than the national average.

Figures show that 24 per cent more people suffer from debilitating illnesses than across the country as a whole and the level of tooth decay in 12 year old children is almost twice the level it is among children elsewhere.

The Partnership hopes that people will be better educated in the future as regards healthy eating, increased exercise and tackling problems with drugs, alcohol, smoking and teenage pregnancy.

Other areas targeted for improvement are the need to promote greater independence among older people so they can stay in their own homes and communities with adequate advice and support aids.

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