BURNLEY councillors have given their backing to a proposed "super'' Racial Equality Council for East Lancs.

They have gone ahead despite a claim that the local ethnic community has been ignored during consultations.

The new four-district REC will cover Burnley, Pendle, Hyndburn and Rossendale.

It will replace the present Hyndburn and Rossendale body, which is facing funding difficulties, and the former Burnley and Pendle REC.

Funding was withdrawn from the latter by Burnley and Lancashire County Council following a power struggle and disputes over membership.

Burnley General Purposes Committee has agreed in principle to the proposal for a new East Lancs REC, expressing preference for an option which includes a specialist officer to deal with legal casework. Coun Peter Kenyon said the steering committee which would be set up to run the REC in the early stages should have twenty members and not the ten suggested.

The proposed East Lancashire REC has the backing of the Commission for Racial Equality and Lancashire County Council.

Coun Mohammed Subhan said the report had been prepared while completely ignoring the ethnic minority.

"I ask this committee to ask the officers to go out into the community at large to get their views.

"Can you image an old person from Colne having to travel to Accrington to meet the director of the super REC?'' he asked.

Chairman Coun Edward Fisk said they would not have to that as there would be local provision.

He said many people over a wide area had been canvassed in the run-up to the new REC.

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