A COMPANY could be set up to promote the interests of Pennine Lancashire' and help attract funding to boost the area's economy.

The City Development Company would pool officers from town halls across East Lancashire to work on proje-cts that benefit the whole area.

Talks between bosses at councils across the area are underway with the involvement of regeneration agency, Elevate.

Bosses at Blackburn with Darwen Council, who are pushing the creation of the company through a group called ELLCHEX, said they hoped the plans would firm up during the summer.

ELLCHEX (East Lancashire Leaders' and Chief Execu-tives' Group) was created in 2006 to promote the regeneration of the area.

The group has helped draft ideas such as a £100million racecourse and an £8million bid to upgrade the Manche-ster to Blackburn railway line.

The group also commiss- ioned the Anthony Wilson and Yvette Livesey consultancy to come up with a number of big ideas for the area.

One of the main ideas' is to re-brand the area of East Lancashire as Pennine Lancashire with a high-profile campaign. The ideas are set for an autumn launch.

The argument for the creation of such a company is that it would bring similar clout to the area as cities such as Liverpool and Manchester when bidding for money.

Kate Hollern, leader of Blackburn with Darwen Council, said: "It's to make sure that these projects happen and that can be done by working better together."

Coun Peter Britcliffe, leader of Hyndburn Council, said: "Anything that will promote this area and its prosperity is to be welcomed."