A TWENTY-four-hour call centre will be set up by Hyndburn Council to deal with any disruption over the millennium.

The centre will operate from the council's Dowry Street offices where officers from across the council will be able to make a rapid response to any problems that are thrown up.

A report to the council's Management Board last night unveiled plans for dealing with disruption over the period which stretches from Christmas Eve until 9am on January 4.

Refuse collection services will operate as normal over the Christmas and New Year period, except on January 3. Council bosses said this minimal disruption would mean that refuse services are not seriously affected and would return to normal after the holidays.

The report showed that highways staff would be on home stand-by in case any snow clearing or gritting work needed to be done.

They would also respond to other emergency situations and several had been specially trained in tree removal skills in the event of storms. In addition, the council will have electricians, plumbing and central heating, sewerage, general building and vehicle maintenance staff on stand-by throughout the period.

The council was recently awarded 'blue' light status by government inspectors for the plans it had made to ward off the 'millennium bug'.

This means that Hyndburn Council's computer systems will be able to recognise the change of year and that there will be no disruption to its services.

* Hyndburn Council workers met Prime Minister Tony Blair when he visited the North West.

Mr Blair met six of Hyndburn's operations staff at a reception in Manchester which was held to thank people who will be manning essential public services over the millennium period.

Among Hyndburn's delegation was a refuse collector, along with highways and grounds maintenance workers.

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