COUNCILLORS vowed to fight on today after Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale missed out on a £29m Government cash package.

Rossendale Council bid for £15m which could have led to a cable car being installed to lead from Rawtenstall town centre to Ski Rossendale, but leader Coun John McManus pledged ambitious plans for derelict Ilex Mill may still go ahead.

He said: "We are bidding for European money to develop Ilex and planning permission will be sought."

The council hopes to resite the town hall, police and courts into listed mill.

A public and private sector partnership in Burnley unsuccessfully bid for £6m to step up community based projects in the town and Pendle missed out on its plan for £8.5m to develop youth based schemes.

Had the bids under the Government's challenge fund initiative been successful they would, with finance attracted from the private sector, have grossed up to a near £200m investment in the three boroughs.

In the past all three areas have received money from the fund Burnley secured £19.5m, Rossendale £11m and Pendle £9.3m.

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