A GOVERNMENT grant of nearly £150,000 will help to monitor a pollution hot spot.

The Department of the Environment has announced that Ribble Valley Council is to receive £147,200 to carry out a pilot scheme of air monitoring around the area, which includes the controversial Castle Cement plant.

Chief officers are now working closely with the government officials to set up a programme to monitor the air quality around the industrial area of the borough where Tarmac and ICI factories are also situated.

Just over £11,000 of the grant will be used for staff and administrative costs and the rest of the money will be used to buy specialised equipment.

Ribble Valley was one of more than 170 authorities to apply for cash aid from the Government after it was announced that guinea pigs were being sought to test procedures relating to pollution under a new Environment Act.

Ribble Valley is one of the first 14 to be chosen.

David Morris, the borough's director of development, said: "Things cannot move very quickly because there is a long waiting list for delivery of such specialised equipment but we are hoping to have the air monitoring programme in place and in operation by the end of the year.

"We have targeted an industrial area to the north of Clitheroe and we will be looking at evidence of sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide and particulates.

"We are delighted to have been offered this grant and I am pleased with my staff here who put in such an excellent bid for cash help.

"The grant money will fund the project entirely and will not cost the council tax-payers of the Ribble Valley anything."

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