JUBILANT councillors in Rossendale were today celebrating the news that the Government is not going to seize control of the authority.

In May the Audit Commission published the results of an inspection into the way the authority manages and runs its services and rated Rossendale as 237 out of 237-- the worst authority of its kind in the country.

Since then councillors have been administering the authority with the threat of a Whitehall take-over hanging over their heads.

They have made budget cuts and spent over £200,000 appointing five new housing benefits staff, interim officers and two staff from Chorley and Hyndburn for the personnel department.

The report recommended that by December 2002 the management structure as well as the management team must be subject to a fundamental review and a new senior management team should be in place by early 2003.

Already the council has appointed an interim chief executive, who took over from Steven Hartley who resigned last month, an interim human resources officer and a community safety officer.

If a Government-appointed team had been introduced, it could have been in place for three-and-a-half years and Rossendale council tax payers would have had to foot the bill.

Council leader Coun Graham Pearson said: "I am delighted. Myself, deputy leader Coun David Hancock and other members have put in a lot of time to make sure we got a new start for Rossendale."

Last week the ruling Labour group announced a decision to close five leisure facilities to try to save £400,000.

Set to close are Rossendale Museum, the Astoria Ballroom, Haslingden Public Hall, Whitworth Pool and the A, B and D Centre in Bacup.

Coun Pearson said: "We are still going to try to get extra money for Rossendale to help us through this difficult time."

Janet Anderson, MP for Rossendale and Darwen, said: "I am absolutely delighted. The new Labour group in power since the election have made great steps forward in the way the council is run."