A BOROUGH’S new Conservative rulers will set out an ‘ambitious programme’ tonight including bringing a university campus, investing £100,000 in schools and reviewing Muslim burial provision in its cemeteries.

Tory group leader Cllr Paul White will press ahead with manifesto plans for Pendle Council to grant Colne Football Club the freehold its Holt House ground and allow other sport organisations the same option.

The 31-year-old Boulsworth representative will tell the annual meeting of Pendle Council he is committed to reducing the 49 councillors by at least one third.

He said: “We’ve put together a very ambitious programme for the next 12 months because that’s what this borough needs: ambition. We’re moving past the doom, gloom and negativity of the previous administration, and starting to talk Pendle up.”

At tonight’s meeting the Conservatives will take over from the Labour/Liberal Democrat coalition in charge for three years. Thanks to the re-instatement to the Tory Party of Earby councillor Rosemary Carroll, previously suspended for a ‘racist’ Facebook post, it will be Pendle’s first Conservative majority administration since 1979.

Key policies to be outlined tonight include:

n investing £100,000 in the Lancashire County Council Pendle Challenge Fund providing grants for new ideas in schools;

n attracting a university campus to Pendle focusing on manufacturing, engineering and digital skills;

n reviewing provision at the council’s six cemeteries to see if there is adequate provision for Muslim burials;

n rewriting the local housing plan lowering the new homes targets for Pendle;

n supporting local firms to 100 apprenticeships within 100 days.

n lobbying for a Colne and villages bypass using the best of three routes; and

n selling underused council buildings including The Ace Centre and Number 1 Market Street to reduce debt;

Labour group leader Cllr Mohammed Iqbal said: “The Tories have a bold programme but let’s see if they can deliver it.

“We will hold them account throughout starting with their manifesto promise to take taxi licensing out of political control.”

Other new priorities are encouraging the re-opening of the Colne to Skipton railway line; grant funding new businesses to start up and existing ones to grow; and tackling loneliness by working with our schools and senior groups bringing people from all parts of our community together.

Cllr White’s deputy will be 39 year-old solicitor and Whitefield representative Cllr Nadeem Ahmed.

The rest of the new administration’s senior team will be Cllrs Margaret Foxley, Musawar Arshad, Mike Goulthorp, Paul Foxley, Joe Cooney and Christian Wakeford.