OVER the years East Lancashire and the towns within it have not featured too often on the national stage in a positive light.

We have been far more likely to be highlighted statistically in some gloomy league table than to be praised for achievements.

But since the unitary authority of Blackburn with Darwen Council was born in 1998 some of that has changed.

We have been lauded, for example as a beacon authority in education, and our services and the people who run them have been singled out for praise.

In fact only a few months ago we became victims of our own success as several leading officers were wooed away to work for larger authorities.

The groundbreaking £205million deal with Capita, an excellent record of successful partnership regeneration schemes and the transfer of the council's housing stock to Twin Valley Homes are just three ventures which put the authority in a national spotlight.

And today Blackburn with Darwen Council is celebrating being named as "Council of the Year" by the Local Government Association after scrutiny by chiefs of private companies, judges and local government watchdogs.

Leader Coun Bill Taylor also cites the council's "open door" communication policy, new constitution and pushing forward of projects designed to promote new technology and the internet as reasons for the award.

Chief executive Phil Watson points out that the award helps a relatively small council to compete with the 'big boys' to attract and retain high calibre staff.

No council gets everything right - and in recent months a lack of gritting and the launch of Blackburn's extended orbital route have provoked loud public complaints.

But today our unitary authority can feel rightly proud of what it has achieved.