NEW groups promoting equality and harmony are essential to tackle the growing and significant danger of a breakdown in race relations in East Lancashire, Burnley councillors have been warned.

Finance chairman Coun Peter Kenyon told a full council meeting it was important new groups were formed - two years after funding for the former local Racial Equality Council was withdrawn.

And he revealed there was new hope of forming a new race equality council in Burnley and Pendle following meetings with Pendle Council.

Today Coun Kenyon underlined his belief that the area had a significant race harmony problem.

He said opinions expressed were not based on fact, such as the lie that most money from Burnley Council went to the Daneshouse area with its high Asian population.

The new body, he said, may operate on a quasi-contractual basis, rather than just council grant-assisted as in the past.

He said informal talks with Hyndburn Council chiefs showed they were interested in joining the new structure.

Two years ago Burnley Council, Lancashire County Council and the Commission for Racial Equality withdrew funding from Burnley and Pendle Racial Equality Council after long-standing dissatisfaction with the way it was being run.

The REC has continued as a mainly voluntary group, drawing funding only from Pendle Council.

Efforts to form a super REC, involving Burnley, Pendle, Rossendale and Hyndburn Councils failed after pressure by local community groups.

It was recently announced that Hyndburn and Rossendale REC would fold.

Coun Kenyon said it was for the existing Burnley and Pendle REC if they had a role in the proposed new structure.

He added he hoped the new group could be formed in the present financial year.

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