A UNITY call has been issued by the new leader of Burnley Council to help the borough negotiate hard times ahead.

Coun Charlie Briggs has taken the helm at the town hall after Coun Gordon Birtwistle stepped down following his election as Burnley and Padiham’s MP.

The father-of-three, who runs his own bakery supplies firm, was selected by colleagues during a Liberal Democrat group meeting.

His rise to the top job has been meteoric, having first joined the council in May 2007 and serving as cabinet member for community safety for the past two years.

Coun Briggs said: “I feel that there are rough times coming and we all need to work together, instead of picking holes in each other, to ensure that Burnley prospers.

"We have got to help each other and I am hoping that my cabinet members work as hard as they have done for the past two years.

“I want to bring jobs and prosperity to Burnley. It will be a sharp learning curve for me so I need to be on the ball.”

Coun Briggs, 54, has met council chief executive Steve Rumbelow for a briefing nd held his first discussions, as leader, with his opposite numbers – Coun Julie Cooper for Labour and the Tory Peter Doyle.

He is also confident he can forge a good working relationship with Coun Birtwistle, who will remain as a backbench councillor after taking his Westminster seat.

He said: “We have been working to make sure Burnley is a safer place, during my time as community safety cabinet member, and I am keen for that to continue.”

He paid tribute to waste contractor Veolia, for their work in helping to clean up the borough’s streets, and pledged to continue the council’s ‘cleaner and greener’ agenda in future.

Married to Lynne Briggs, a Lib Dem councillor for Rosegrove with Lowerhouse, he has three children, Peter, Victoria and Charlie.

He is also county councillor for Burnley Central West division and the Lib Dem group leader at County Hall.