Our case must be listened to

10:53am Monday 17th March 2008

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A LOT of people put much time and effort into trying to improve the quality of life of people in East Lancashire.

But according to the government's national deprivation index which takes into account economic, social and housing as well as, this year for the first time, health issues, the quality of life is comparatively getting worse rather than better.

In the four years since the last index the borough of Blackburn with Darwen has slipped from 34th to 17th and Burnley from 37th to 21st worst out of 354 districts in England.

And two particular spots, the Yorkshire Street area of Burnley and Bank Top in Blackburn are listed as 13th and 35th worst respectively out of 32,482 wards in the country.

These depressing statistics, we are told, don't necessarily mean that conditions are themselves deteriorating but rather that other areas are improving faster than we are.

That's pretty cold comfort.

One major reason is that politicians and others, who are expected to bring public and private money into the area to enable us to compete better for jobs and thus improve living standards, are not as effective as counterparts elsewhere.

The region must speak with a stronger, more united voice which has to be heeded.