DENNIS Taylor is a man with a mission -- to put the pride back into East Lancashire and make it a centre of excellence for business and industry, education and leisure.

Andrew Calvert speaks to the man who has been appointed as the first full-time chief executive of the East Lancashire Partnership...

ALTHOUGH he does not officially start his new role until April 1, Dennis Taylor is looking forward to the challenge of reinvigorating East Lancashire.

"The area is bursting with untapped talent, a passionate and proud identity, numerous centres of business and educational excellence," he said.

"We have areas of outstanding natural beauty sitting cheek by jowl with communities crying out for major investment in their homes, jobs, transport links and physical environment.

"The challenge is immense, but the sub-region is literally teeming with champions united in their desire to make a difference. There is a pride in East Lancashire that defies the knockers and pessimists.

"The glass is unquestionably half full and very definitely not half empty. I am excited by the challenge and eager to get the show on the road' he added."

The East Lancashire Partnership was formed in 1997 as a collaboration of public, private and voluntary sector organisations, operating under the umbrella of Hyndburn Borough Council.

Mr Taylor, 54, has been overseeing the incorporation process on a part-time basis since the secondment of former director John Tilley to the North West Regional Assembly on a two- year assignment.

As a sign of its more businesslike approach, the ELP will become a limited company with a 16-strong board representing all sections of the community.

He has now come out of what he describes as "semi-retirement" to take up the challenge of reinvigorating the Partnership in its quest to bring social and economic regeneration to the area.

With a staff of 20 and an annual budget of around £10 million, he is determined to put East Lancashire in the premier league.

"The task ahead is immense" he said. "Rebranding East Lancashire's image as an exciting, dynamic and progressive place to live, learn, work and visit are only a flavour of the challenges we face."

Mr Taylor said his key objectives would be to attract new business and retain existing companies, establish community cohesion, foster links between academia and business, promote tourism and support the multi-million-pound redevelopment of homes in East Lancashire.

"Everyone I have met so far knows what they want for East Lancashire," added Mr Taylor. "The place exudes pride and people are prepared to roll their sleeves up and let their actions speak for them.

"They need to take every opportunity to proclaim from the rooftops that this is the place to be. I'm up for it and can't wait to get the show on the road."