A PLEA has been issued to a government minister to protect a vital government grant for Pendle.

Town hall bosses are facing a council tax and business rates retention freeze and now a £1.3million transition grant is in jeopardy.

Council leader Coun Joe Cooney and the borough’s chief executive Stephen Barnes lobbied Local Government Minister Brandon Lewis on a visit to the Euravia factory at Kelbrook.

Coun Cooney said: “We invited him to see first hand the good work that we’re doing – and to ask for a fair deal for Pendle.

“It was good to sit down with the minister and show the value for money Pendle Council provides and the work we do with the private sector.”

Mr Lewis also met with Dennis Mendoros, Euravia’s managing director and chairman of Regenerate Pennine Lancashire, who also pressed Pendle’s case.

Mr Barnes added: “We explained to the Minister that the size of the grant reduction far exceeded any efficiencies that even a well-run authority such as Pendle could possibly achieve.

“If we lose the transitional grant then cuts in services would be the only outcome.

“We set out how we were progressing on making savings and focusing on priorities the Government is very keen to see achieved.”

Mr Lewis was also taken on a tour of the Number One Market Street offices in Nelson, to look at how the council works with outsourcing firm Liberata, in a public-private partnership.