THE final rubber-stamping of Blackburn's unitary status means detailed talks are set to begin on transferring vital council services.

Lancashire County Council and Blackburn Council representatives will be forced to bury the hatchet as they plan for the future.

The county fought unitary status and threatened high court action to try to stop Blackburn breaking away from County Hall control.

They even refused to meet for talks with the borough until the order was actually signed.

Now that Environment Secretary John Gummer has signed the order, both sides will have to get together to discuss the new working arrangements that will come into play in April 1998. Blackburn chiefs have already requested a meeting with the county and are working closely with Blackpool Council which has also won unitary status.

Coun Gail Barton, chairman of the Blackburn Local Government Reorganisation Committee, said: "The focus now changes from winning the argument to putting into place detailed plans for the implementation of the new authority."

The council has set up a series of working groups to look at how services such as education and social services will be run.

Coun Barton added: "It is a big challenge, but Blackburn has a proud record of accepting challenges and winning through."

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