BURNLEY'S council leader today called on the people of the town to make the future a prosperous one.

More than £300million is being pumped into Burnley in the next 10 years and Coun Stuart Caddy said support from the people of the town was essential to making the future work.

And he said if people work together the New Year will be the start of a brave new era for Burnley with the massive financial investment transforming the town.

In a New Year message to the town, Coun Caddy thanked everyone who had worked to make 2004 a successful year.

And he said projects would help transform the borough's housing, cut down on crime, create jobs and boost education. He said: "Residents, workers, volunteers and all our partners have pulled together to make 2004 a successful year for Burnley.

"There are more community wardens and more alley-gating schemes helping to reduce crime. With the progress of Elevate, the multi-million-pound housing market renewal programme, people are working together and our communities are growing stronger."

But he added that 2005 was set to be the start of a new beginning for the town, when new schools, a shopping centre, leisure and health centre and other improvements, previously announced in the Lancashire Evening Telegraph, would boost Burnley.

He said: "The innovative health and leisure centre and the £50million Oval shopping centre are just two developments that people can look forward to.

"We are also determined to tackle serious issues too - opening the new drugs street agency is one step in the right direction."

He also highlighted the planned council one-stop shop contact centre in the former Abbey National building in Parker Lane.

He said: "Over the next 10 years £300million of investment is transforming Burnley, with the aim of making every year better than before.

"However, making Burnley a better place requires more than a large amount of money. It needs the support of all the people across the borough."

Coun Caddy's optimism was given a cautious welcome by Liberal Democrat leader Gordon Birtwistle who said anything that helped make Burnley a better place was to be welcomed.

The two leaders, who have been at each other's throats for much of the year during a power struggle for control of the council, were united in their hopes for 2005.

Coun Birtwistle said: "It is good to see private investment in the town and we welcome projects which will help create a better future. However, we still have reservations about the health and leisure centre because of the cost and we will be keeping our eye on that."