THE GOVERNMENT moved the goalposts when it rejected Burnley's bid for a £25 million development package for the town, says council leader Stuart Caddy.

It was, he said, only the large authorities whose bids had been given the go-ahead for massive regeneration cash this year and he suspected that was always meant to be the case. He told the council's urban regeneration committee: "It is a pity they did not tell us that in the first place and we would not have wasted our time this year." Coun Caddy said Burnley had submitted an excellent bid for money to improve the eight poorest areas of town and had met all the criteria set down by the Government.

Councillors heard that Burnley would be able to renew its bid in each of the next two years and it was the Government's intention for all short-listed authorities, like Burnley, to receive the Single Regeneration budget money if the packages put forward were good enough.

Council regeneration co-ordinator Mike Cook, said talks with government officers in Manchester had revealed the Housing Corporation - one of the major agencies judging the bids - wanted a more focused and targeted bid from Burnley and could not support the present Burnley package.

He said the Housing Corporation input in the assessment was a very strong influence on the outcome.

Mr Cook added that Burnley's bid had only marginally failed and the Government office wanted the council to work with it on improving the package to help ensure future success.

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