FOUR borough leaders have launched a campaign to create a new all-purpose ‘Pennine Lancashire’ council.

The bosses of Blackburn with Darwen, Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale want to merge and create a unitary authority.

They yesterday sent a cross-party letter to local government secretary James Brokenshire calling for the new body to control of all council services.

If approved, it would scupper plans for a Lancashire Combined Authority similar to the Greater Manchester and Merseyside city regions.

Cllr Paul White, Conservative leader of Pendle Council, and Cllrs Mohammed Khan, Mark Townsend and Alyson Barnes – the Labour leaders of Blackburn with Darwen, Burnley and Rossendale Councils – have all signed the letter,

The new authority would be modelled on Blackburn with Darwen Borough which split from Lancashire County Council in 1998 taking control of transport, education, children’s and adult social services and economic development.

But Cllr Miles Parkinson, the leader of Hyndburn Council in the middle of the proposed unitary authority area, refused to join the campaign.

Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale are second-tier authorities dealing with issues including local planning, refuse collection and litter with the county running major services.

Cllr Khan said: “Twenty years ago our council became a unitary authority and only good came from it. The benefits are clear to see.

“This approach, increasing our size and pooling our expertise and other resources, would give East Lancashire more opportunities to keep investing in the half a million people we are here to serve and put us in a position to take on new powers.”

Cllr Townsend said: "It’s time to be radical in removing the shackles that have held Pennine Lancashire back for decades.”

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Cllr White said “This presents the most exciting opportunity for our area in decades. It would give real strength to the industrial heartland of Pennine Lancashire, and allow us a big voice in the Northern Powerhouse.

“This gives us the opportunity to work with our neighbours, get a great deal for our area, and create a council which is more efficient.”

The letter says: “Our area has unique needs that are currently not being met. This plan would allow us to create a financially sustainable authority, with one set of senior managers and economies of scale.”

Cllr Parkinson said: “I did not sign the letter. I cannot see any agreement across all of Lancashire for such a proposal. Any change would have to be imposed by central government.”

Lancashire County Council’s Conservative leader Cllr Geoff Driver said: “There are a lot of difficult issues to be considered before implementing any such proposal. I want to to see the best for all of the county including residents of Pennine Lancashire.”