A £12 MILLION bid to attract jobs and training for young people in Pendle has leapt over its first hurdle.

The plan, called Pendle Youth Focus - Kick Start for Jobs was submitted to the government at the end of September.

It is one of only three bids from Lancashire to get past the starting block.

The Pendle Partnership consortium behind the bid now has to come up with more details about the project and to have the paperwork back with the government by January 16.

If all goes well Pendle will get to know in March if it has done enough to earn a £2.7 million pump-priming kitty in the form of a Challenge Fund grant.

Pendle council leader Alan Davies, who is also vice-chairman of Pendle Partnership, said everyone would have to do their bit to convince civil servants and government departments in London to back the area.

He said: "This is brilliant news for the young people of our area and if we get the scheme it will be brilliant news for the whole community."

In addition to government cash, the bid aims to bring in £6.1 million of private sector investment in jobs, £1.4 from Europe and £1.7 million from public concerns such as ELTEC, the careers, youth and community services, Nelson and Colne College and Pendle Council.

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