A SPECIAL ‘partnership’ team has been formed to take the borough out of the 100 most deprived places in the country.

Hyndburn Borough Council has said that achieving this goal by 2018 is only possible by forming stronger links with other agencies.

Though Hyndburn has recently already met some requirements with the opening of a sixth form centre and reducing crime by a third, remaining problems are described as ‘exceptionally tough challenges’.

Reports into the problem of deprivation say Hyndburn has just eight years to improve life expectancy and mortality rates, bring down high levels of unemployment and improve educational results.

Some of the more urgent issues include a six-year gap in life expectancy between Hyndburn’s most affluent and deprived wards and unemployment levels which mean one-in-three Hyndburn people are on out-of-work benefits.

Rates of teenage pregnancy are also the second highest in Lancashire.

Leader of the council Peter Britcliffe said partnership working had already achieved significant results and that it must be a priority going forward.

He said: “There are exceptionaly tough challenges and you cannot do anything without the help of partners. Ten years ago people said it was ‘pie in the sky’ to get crime down or to get a sixth form centre back to the borough.

“But by working with partners such as St Christophers and the police, it became within our reach. Partnership working with the fire service, for example has seen a stark drop in the number of house fires.”

A report on partnership working so far will be considered by councillors next month.

Ongoing plans include working with Hyndburn’s domestic violence support unit, running apprenticeships with Accrington and Rossendale College and providing mid-life checks for over 40s.