PENDLE'S seven most deprived wards will be the target of a new Neighbourhood Renewal Strategy, aimed at securing continued government funding for regeneration of the area.

As part of the government's 'A New Commitment to Neighbourhood Renewal,' local authorities receiving funding must develop such a strategy and the recently formed Local Strategic Partnership will implement and lead the neighbourhood renewal.

The strategy will set out a vision and plan for positive change in the neighbourhoods in need of renewal.

It will require the commitment and agreement of all key people and institutions with a stake in the area, and set out a framework for action which responds to the needs of local people.

Work is currently taking place to meet the criteria of the scheme and an agreement has been made that Pendle's priority neighbourhoods are those within the worst 10 per cent on the Indices of Local Deprivation -- Bradley, Brierfield, Marsden, Southfield, Walverden, Waterside and Whitefield -- as well as Vivary Bridge. The area contains 44.8 per cent of Pendle population, around 38,000 people.

Council officers have compared the neighbourhoods' performance in relation to the floor targets set by the government on education, the economy, crime, health and housing.

Various consultation exercises have been carried out with the community and voluntary sector. The results highlighted key problems in all five areas.

Problems with the economy included vacant business premises leading to an absence of shoppers, few job opportunities, heavy dependency on the manufacturing industry, low wage economy, and unemployment, with only 55 per cent of the people in the seven wards working.

Education was seen to be poor due to truancy and low self-esteem. An average of only 36.3 per cent of pupils obtain five or more A* to C GCSE passes.

The main crime-related problems were highlighted as substance abuse, anti-social behaviour, juvenile nuisance and drug-related burglaries, which were blamed on a lack of facilities for young people and poor parenting.

There was a general feeling of ill-health caused by poor housing and diet, poverty and a lack of hope.

The results also showed poor housing, with the renewal area ranked among the worst 8.5 per cent in the country on the Indices of Deprivation 2000.