MANY of the facts and comments on our area's economy spelled out today in East Lancashire Partnership's "wake-up call" are hardly new.

Over dependence on vulnerable, traditional manufacturing industry, too many low-wage, low-skill jobs and pockets of some of Britain's worst poverty and deprivation are all things East Lancashire has lived with for many years.

Add to these a lack of investment and business start-ups compared with other parts of the country, worsening housing standards along with East Lancashire getting less in regeneration grants than other parts of the region and our position looks dire indeed.

A cynic might argue that the Partnership should by now be reversing the decline rather than emphasizing it.

But the truth is that no single organisation has a magic wand and, encouragingly, the Partnership is now showing signs of a far more pro-active and dynamic leadership.

They have to shock Whitehall and EEC mandarins into pushing job generating cash our way and fight off other parts of the North West, like Liverpool and Manchester, which have traditionally had more clout.

And although 'East Lancashire Strategic Regeneration Group' is a cumbersome-sounding title this new body has to succeed quickly because our case is urgent and we need truly effective action fast.