Pendle Council agrees to no increase in council tax again

"This is the fourth time in the last five years that Pendle Council has frozen the council tax," said Council Leader, Councillor Mike Blomeley.

"It will be good news for residents," he added.

The budget meeting agreed to use £2.8million of Transitional Grant to help keep important services running.

Pendle has received this as it is one of the areas in the UK hardest hit by government funding cuts.

Council Leader Mike Blomeley said:

"We will continue to make the case for deprived areas like Pendle to receive more assistance from the Government.  The lobbying will go on!"  He pledged.

"The loss of other grants, which have helped us tackle housing and town centre regeneration, will have a significant impact on our area over the next few years.

"And yet the Council will start the 20011/12 financial year in a strong position."

The Council's Chief Executive Stephen Barnes explained:

"That's down to years of sound, sustainable and prudent financial management which has meant we can balance the budget and keep services running."

The Council Leader also explained:

"The Council's re-structuring is well underway and we have kept the number of compulsory redundancies to the minimum.  A big thanks goes to all our staff for their help and cooperation with this.

"We are streamlining the Council to save money whilst protecting front line services.

"We are also putting the national Localism agenda into action by working more closely with residents in neighbourhoods across Pendle," he added.

"We are making sure that some major regeneration work will continue in 2011/12.  This includes working with our Joint Venture Company PEARL to invest in:

• Shackleton Hall in Colne which is on track to be completed in autumn 2011 despite the loss of North West Development Agency funding. It will be the new home for our housing partner - Housing Pendle. They will vacate Colne Town Hall, allowing the Pendle Leisure Trust to move in.
• Lob Lane Mill in Brierfield where work is well underway for new housing.  The first new homes will be completed by August 2011 and a staggering £7 million will be invested over the next few years.

"We will also invest in sorely needed new sports pavilions at Edge End, Bullholme and Holt House."

At the Special Budget meeting, Councillor Mike Blomeley highlighted the significant progress the Council has made for Pendle residents over the past year.

For example:

• Attracting funding to start work to reopen the high street through Nelson town centre which is on track for completion in July
• Winning more Green Flags for Pendle's parks, with seven parks in total now flying flags
• Developing new sporting facilities at the former Lucas Sports Ground Brierfield and at Marsden Heights and Edge End
• The completion of sensitively developed eco homes in historic terraces in Nelson
• Staging the National Cycle Road Race in Barley and Roughlee
• Demolishing the unsightly Palace Bingo Hall in Nelson which is being replaced with a new, attractively landscaped car park.

Councillor Mike Blomeley pledged:

"We face challenging times but this budget shows we are up to the challenge.

"We will continue to develop new ways of delivering services and improving the quality of life for Pendle people throughout 2011."