THE task is enormous and so is the amount of money needed to carry it out. But there's nothing more vital to East Lancashire's future than getting rid of its neglected, rotting, century-old housing.

Local authorities, which have too often squabbled over crumbs of government cake, united under the 'Elevate East Lancashire' banner to compile a joint bid seeking £170 million over three years precisely because they recognised that only together could they stand a chance of winning this battle for the region's future.

East Lancashire wasn't mentioned in the first batch of announcements of Pathfinder cash awards last year and that raised fears that we were to lose out to the two North West giants, Manchester and Merseyside. Today we hear that we are to get a £68m Pathfinder award and a further £35m from other sources making £103m in all.

It's a large sum which Elevate's chief executive Max Steinberg says will enable them to start work in all five areas of East Lancashire.

The money, however, only covers two years and we have to wait until next year's Government spending review to see if we'll get more to keep the project going.

If the money is enough to make a big visual difference to large chunks of East Lancashire, that will be a result. But the commitment must continue and the job completed if the curses of bad housing, health and deprivation are to be defeated.

We have had too many short-term half measures and patch-up jobs which look no further than the next election.

Nothing less than a massive, sustained facelift of the slum areas we have in our midst is acceptable.