NEW bosses at an East Lancashire racial harmony organisation which was rocked by resignations pledged today: "We are going to change for the better."

Gulzamir Ahmed, incoming vice-chairman of Blackburn with Darwen Racial Equality Council, was speaking as its executive members prepared to vote on whether they want root-and-branch changes in the way the organisation is run. They are being asked to stand down in favour of a steering committee which will produce a new constitution at a special extraordinary meeting on October 9.

Mr Ahmed said: "The REC is not an organisation for personal gain but the good of the community.

"The time has now come to concentrate on issues and work even harder to gain our credibility."

This week officers were told they faced losing their town-centre offices and council funding unless they put their house in order.

The warning as three Blackburn with Darwen Council representatives -- councillors Sue Reid, Colin Rigby and Dorothy Walsh -- resigned from the REC's executive committee.

Last week, chairman Dr Salim Najia and his number two Janaid Qureshi quit for "personal reasons." And a month ago an officer was sacked and another reprimanded after a fight broke out in the St John's Place offices of the organisation.

Coun Maureen Bateson, executive member for citizens and consumer rights, said the type of funding the REC received only continued if the organisation concerned was meeting its obligations.

She said this week: "At present the community is not receiving the quality of service it has the right to expect from the REC."

The council expressed its concerns to the REC through a letter from Coun Bateson. It set a deadline of the end of October for the body to make significant changes.

Chairman Abdul Hamid Chowdry said today: "We must now move on and regain the confidence of our local council, the Commission for Racial Equality, local police and other social partners to deliver quality service in all our community groups.

"The REC belongs to all the people of the town and must serve their needs."

Mr Chowdry returned to his desk this week to resume normal duties after being suspended by the previous regime for alleged misconduct.

The REC in Blackburn was set up after the 1976 Race Relation Act. In the last six months it received a grant of £11,025 from the council.

Other funding comes from the CRE and the National Lottery Charities Board.