THE new year brings the next round of area board meetings, kicking off with Bury East on January 6.

The meeting, to be held at Fairfield Community Primary School in Rochdale Old Road, will begin at 7pm with a 45-minute open forum.

Bury West Area Board will follow on January 11 at St Stephens Primary School in Colville Drive at 7pm. Both meetings will include a report on the 2005-2006 unclassified highway refurbishment programme, giving members the choice of carriageways and footways they want refurbished.

Bury West board will also be presented with the findings of a formal consultation carried out regarding proposals for the Northern Orbital Quality Bus Corridor linking Bolton, Bury, Heywood, Rochdale and Littleborough via Bolton Road to Rochdale, Heywood, Middleton and Manchester via the A6046.