A LABOUR councillor from Darwen says plans to create a cabinet style of government at Blackburn town hall are not radical enough.

Coun Simon Danczuk has said the introductions of cabinets at town halls across the country would be a case of "putting old wine in new bottles."

And he said despite the grand plans for re-structuring, most authorities across the country were not really prepared to change.

Blackburn with Darwen Council is going through a large scale consultation exercise about its plans to abolish several committees and give their responsibilities to individual councillors with government minister style portfolios.

The council chose the cabinet system ahead of the other main option for reform presented by the Government to councils - directly elected mayors. Coun Danczuk said: "The introduction of cabinets or directly elected mayors could mean many councillors trying to put old wine into new bottles.

"Councils are missing a real opportunity to reinvigorate the towns they represent by not modernising and being more radical.

"The new executive councillors should be bolder and think afresh about devising regeneration strategies and the new backbench councillors should learn how to better consult and represent their electorate.

"Local government needs to be prepared for change and to think afresh about its approach for revitalising boroughs.

"These are ingredients for reviving civic, democratic and urban decline."

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