The State of Lancashire Report
Internal Weaknesses

• With an average real GVA growth rate between 1995 and 2005 of around 1.6% per annum the pace at which Lancashire has become a more prosperous place in which both to live and work continues to lag compared with the national average (+2.8% per annum). Over this period, Lancashire had the fourth slowest economic growth rate of all NUTS-2 areas in England. The longer-term implication implied by this differential growth rate is quite substantial. At a steady growth rate of 1.6% per annum it would take the Lancashire economy close to 44 years to double in size. The doubling time for a 2.8% annual rate of increase is about 24 years.

Change in GVA, 1995-2005 (constant 2005-based prices)

Click here or on the graph to go to the Local Gross Value Added research monitor and see the graph full-size.

• Gross Value Added per head, the most commonly used measure of economic well-being, stood at an estimated £14,600 in 2005 in Lancashire. This level was more than six percentage points lower than that of the wider North West Region and only 82% of the United Kingdom average. In these terms, Lancashire ranked as a relatively modest lower middle ranking 26th out of the 37 NUTS-2 regions used by the Office for National Statistics. Two decades previously, Lancashire typically ranked at around 95% of the UK average confirming the longer-term economic under-performance.

• An alternative measure of local economic welfare is gross disposable household income (GDHI), which unlike GVA takes account of both pensioners' and commuters' incomes as well as social transfers and is effectively the amount of money that after taxes and social contributions, etc households have available for spending or savings. Lancashire GDHI per head in 2006 stood at an estimated £12,400. Whilst compared with GVA, GDHI results in a levelling-out effect and a generally smaller range in the overall distribution of wealth, that in Lancashire was still more then 4% lower than that of the North West Region and only 88% of the UK average, ranking the region as a lower-middle 31st out of the 37 NUTS-2 areas used by ONS or the 5th lowest in England. The latest position represents a small relative deterioration on 1995 when the sub-region stood at 90% of the UK average.

• In a recent assessment of the competitiveness of localities across the UK by the Centre for International Competitiveness results for Lancashire were fairly mediocre. Ribble Valley, ranked as 100th out of 407, was assessed as Lancashire's most competitive locality and just four districts were deemed as being within the top 50% of UK localities. At the other extreme of the ranking spectrum, Hyndburn and Blackpool were amongst the poorest 10% for competitiveness and within the North West only Knowsley in Merseyside fared poorer than the two Lancashire districts. In terms of one component indicator – mean average gross weekly pay, Hyndburn and Rossendale were amongst the ten poorest localities in the UK.

• A fundamental weakness in industrial structure: other than a core base in aerospace/defence, high tech engineering services and the nuclear industry, there still remains an emphasis on mature/low value added/low wage and vulnerable industries and services and low representation of faster growing and newer high technology and knowledge-based activities and business activities.

• Continued restructuring and downsizing of key industries and companies which have formed the basis of much of the sub-region's post-war diversification away from the textiles and associated industries and some failure to replace these lost industrial jobs with jobs of equal or better quality in the expanding services sectors.

• A long history of industrial job decline, in some areas extending over more than 90 years, and continuing loss of skills in engineering and manufacturing.

Manufacturing Employment Change, Lancashire, 1948-2006

Click here or on the graph to go to the Manufacturing Industry research monitor and see the graph full-size.

• Employment levels continue to grow in Lancashire but there are wide variations between different parts of the sub-region. Increases have been concentrated in Lancashire West along a broad axis of the M6 corridor, particularly in Central Lancashire, and between 1998 and 2006 this area was responsible for the creation of more than a half of all net new jobs in the county. Job outturns in North Lancashire have improved over recent years but in comparison, employment in East Lancashire over the same period actually declined by -1%.

• Few free-standing R&D centres of excellence and a paucity of representation in information technology and science-based industries and services in general. The financial/professional/technical services base in Lancashire is relatively weak and under-represented and there has been a failure to share fully in the nationally expanding job opportunities in the services sector as a whole.

• A high representation of small and medium-sized enterprises (often family-owned) with weak managerial capacity not yet fully equipped to deal with the opportunities and challenges presented by a fast moving economic climate of global competition and new supply chain relationships.

• New business development is an important policy objective. For the VAT-registered business stock in the Lancashire region there was a net increase of nearly 4,000 businesses or 10.6% over the period 1994-2007 (Lancashire County = +12.4%). However, despite a steadily improving out-turn since 2003, the Lancashire position still compared unfavourably with the net gain of 20.7% recorded in the UK at large. Out of the 44 former English shire and metropolitan counties, Lancashire ranked a very disappointing 41st in terms of business stock change in a range that extended from net gains of over 30% in areas like Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire, to less than 10% in Cornwall & the Isles of Scilly and Tees Valley. The county of Lancashire fared little better, ranking as joint 35th out of the forty 'new' English counties. This position is partly because Lancashire is still disproportionately represented by sectors like wholesale and retail, manufacturing, and hotels and restaurants; sectors in which net stock growth generally has been relatively sluggish or even negative but remains underweight in the financial and business services. The Lancashire structural make-up has had a major moderating influence on the pace of local net new business stock growth and probably explains a large part of Lancashire's rather lack-lustre performance in business creation rather than any deep-seated lack of local entrepreneurship.

Change in VAT-Registered Business Stock, 1994-2007

Click here or on the graph to go to the VAT Business Registrations and De-registrations research monitor and see the graph full-size.

• Long-term under-investment in renewal of the industrial and physical capital stock: a high proportion being obsolete or in need of significant renovation and repair. Some 44% of Lancashire's industrial and commercial floorspace is of pre-1940 construction (and much of this is pre-1914) against 28% in the UK. Such older floorspace is particularly pronounced in many parts of East Lancashire. In Pendle, for example, 83% of the industrial and commercial stock and 79% of the floorspace is of pre-1940 construction, one of the highest proportions of any district in England and Wales. Current availability of industrial and commercial land and property (e.g. old mill and factory conversions) can provide relatively low cost accommodation but is rarely appropriate for the requirements of modern businesses, hinder growth and contribute to a negative image.

Part of Weaver's Triangle, Burnley

Site acquired by the Hurstwood Group.

• In some locations a shortage of high quality serviced and readily available business development sites and advanced factory/office provision linked to the problems associated with under-used, derelict and abused land and buildings.

• Low industrial and commercial rental levels and rates of return act as a disincentive to new private sector speculative property development in many parts of the County. The average rateable value of industrial and commercial premises in Lancashire at £37 per sqm, in 2006 (falling to well under £30 per sqm in parts of East Lancashire) is well below the England and Wales average of £65 per sqm.

• Average retail rateable value figures per square metre for 2007 reveal that Lancashire authorities have some of the lowest rates in England and Wales. Results for 375 authorities in England and Wales reveal that Pendle occupies the joint third lowest place and that Rossendale, Ribble Valley, Hyndburn and Fylde were also listed in amongst the lowest fifty. The highest retail rateable value was to be found in Preston but even this district's level of £119 per sqm was well below the England and Wales average. Similarly, office property rateable values, averaging just £55 per sqm across the sub-region are well under half the level of the England average.

• Low levels of both new inward (particularly "greenfield") and indigenous investments over recent decades exacerbated by structural characteristics, poor (but improving) perceptions of the region and limited availability and consistency of competitive grants and assistance in many areas.

Lancashire: Areas of Multiple Deprivation

Click here or on the map to go to the Lancashire Multiple Deprivation page and see the map full-size.

• Pockets of high urban unemployment or "worklessness" and severe social and economic deprivation, including a high proportion of "hidden" and long-term unemployed with low levels of basic skills. Six Lancashire NUTS-2 districts (Blackburn with Darwen, Blackpool, Burnley, Hyndburn, Pendle and Preston) are in the "top 50" most deprived in England according to the Index of Multiple Deprivation 2007 (IMD 2007).

• An above-average representation of low skill and casual job opportunities (especially in the tourism sector) offering limited prospects and low rates of pay: average (median) workplace-based gross weekly earnings in the county of full-time adult employees are about 94% of the Great Britain average. In 2007, Blackpool unitary authority had the unfortunate distinction of recording the lowest average median gross weekly pay figure by place of residence for the whole of Great Britain.

• The average value of County Court Judgements (CCJs) for Personal Consumer Debt in Lancashire for 2004 was £2,018, fractionally higher than the national average of £2,005. The distribution of highly localised data reveals that high rates of CCJs per thousand population clearly accord with known areas of deprivation and low incomes. In terms of the average value of CCJs, high values are more often than not associated with the areas of greater prosperity/higher household incomes though there are several exceptions to this general pattern.

• In the financial year 2003/2004 there were nearly 20,200 legal aid case matters in Lancashire, equivalent to 14.1 cases per 1,000 population. This rate was marginally higher than the England and Wales average (13.6). Matrimonial matters provide by far the largest case load accounting for nearly a half of all cases, followed by Welfare Benefit and Debt, accounting for 13% and 12% of the total respectively. In all three instances rates per 1,000 population were a third or more higher in Lancashire than in the UK.

• Inefficiencies arising from traffic congestion on parts of the motorway network and on other strategic routes, adding to the costs of industry and commerce and constraining access to employment opportunities. Traffic flows on major roads in Lancashire increased by more than 22% between 1993 and 2007 and there are more than 82 licensed vehicles for every kilometre of major and minor road in the sub-region. Whilst connectivity within Lancashire remains high, links to the Manchester and Liverpool City Regions need improvement.

• An inadequate provision or absence of basic service infrastructure (permanent shop, post office, daily bus service, etc.) to serve local needs in many of the more remote rural areas.

Former Thornton for Cleveleys Railway Station

See the Poulton & Wyre Railway Society

• Local public transport that often does not fully meet the needs of residents for work, leisure and shopping trips and does not provide an adequate alternative to car-based transportation. Local rail services, e.g. Colne-Preston, are unable to compete on speed and convenience against private cars using the M65 for local journeys. There is a need for more through-ticketing between bus and train operators, and between separate bus operators where routes or parts of routes coincide.

• Road casualty rates between 1997 and 2006 show a clear pattern of decline though the rate of improvement has been slightly slower in Lancashire than for England as whole. The 2006 figure of 4.5 per 1,000 for England is well below the rate of 5.6 per 1,000 recorded for the Lancashire County Council area. At the district level, Preston had the highest rate by far in the county (8.4), followed by South Ribble (6.2) and Burnley (5.9).

• The amount of commercial activity at the three Lancashire ports of Heysham, Fleetwood and Glasson Dock is small compared with the national picture. The Lancashire Ports can only effectively serve a limited market segment that encompasses parts of Ireland, the Isle of Man and the Morecambe Bay Gas Fields. Real-time monitoring of ships over 300 tons as they traverse through British waters reveals how vessel movements around the Lancashire coastline are modest in comparison with a number of other parts of the country.

• Direct employment in agriculture continues to fall steadily and there was a decline of over 30% in the number of VAT-registered agricultural businesses between 1980 and 2007.

• Despite recent improvements in the rate of tree planting, Lancashire still has one of the lowest percentage woodland covers in the country at 4.6%, which is well below the national average of 12%. Analysis of woodland cover by Landscape Character Type reveals that the range is from 0.1% (Moorland Plateau) to 35.8% (Wooded Limestone Hills and Pavements) so there are well-wooded parts of the county. The Forestry Commission has a small presence in Lancashire in terms of the forests they own and manage, in comparison to the neighbouring county of Cumbria, but their policy, grants and regulations function is in no way diminished. The 1999 National Inventory of Woodland and Trees (details woodlands of two hectares and over) stated that in Lancashire, 12% of woodland was Forestry Commission owned or leased and 88% was under other ownership such as private individuals, partnerships, trusts, local authorities and other government departments and agencies. The Forestry Commission website mentions Gisburn Forest, which covering 1,245 hectares is the largest forest in Lancashire.

• Lancashire has over 2,400 hectares of derelict, under-used or neglected brownfield land. This dereliction, made up of former industrial sites, quarries, old railways, disused reservoirs and tips, can be very harmful to the environment. It can be a source of pollution, a hazard to people living nearby, make an area look run-down and neglected and also have an adverse economic impact, reducing property prices and making the area less attractive to visit and invest in.

• There were over 47,500 cases of reporting fly-tipping in the broader Lancashire area during the year to March 2007. This represented a 45.7% increase in comparison to the position two years earlier, but the figures are not as alarming as suggested at first sight. Household waste represents a large proportion of reported fly tipping incidents. Most authorities have a policy whereby household waste left out for collection in a bin bag next to a wheelie bin is gathered separately and classified as fly tipping. In addition, local authorities have invested significantly in providing increased services to deal with fly-tipping and have campaigned to reduce the public's tolerance of such incidents. This has raised the profile of "fly-tipping hotlines" and has encouraged members of the public to report incidents.

• The 2001 Census revealed that 16.5% of Lancashire residents (aged 16-74) were qualified to NVQ levels 4/5, the highest levels attainable. This compared unfavourably with the England and Wales average of 19.8%. The Annual Population Survey (APS) results for the year to December 2007 (less reliable than the census figures) revealed that for the same broader Lancashire area, the estimate of people of working age (smaller age-range than the 16-74 group) that were qualified to NVQ level 4/5 of 24.3%, was below the Great Britain average of 28.6%.

• There are concentrations within the County of residents with either low or no skills that act as a constraint on economic potential and hamper the progression of these individuals in the labour market. The December 2007 Annual Population Survey results revealed a higher proportion of working age people in the broader Lancashire area with no qualifications (17.1%) than the national average (15.9%).

• Burnley was in the unfortunate position of recording the lowest pass rates for young people in England for attaining 5 or more GCSEs at grades A-C (by place of residence) in 2006/07. Low rates were also recorded in Blackpool and Pendle.

• Well over 100,000 Lancashire families claim child or working tax credit.

• The conception rates per 1,000 women aged 15-17 reveal that within England & Wales teenage pregnancies have fallen fairly steadily between 1999-2006. The figures for Lancashire County and the two unitaries are much more volatile being based on smaller numbers. For Lancashire County, the latest 2006 rate was 40.8 per 1,000. This was viritually on a par with the England and Wales average of 40.7 and below the North West figure of 44.0. The position of Blackpool in 2006 was however such that with a teenage conception rate of 66.4 per thousand females, it ranked the seventh highest in England & Wales out of the 148 unitary authority, metropolitan districts and county councils. Blackburn with Darwen was in 77th position and the Lancashire rate placed the county in 79th place.

• Life expectancy continues to improve across all parts of Lancashire but in some respects the sub-region exhibits patterns more usually associated with large inner cities than with "shire areas". Only three local districts enjoy male life expectancy at birth above the national average and only Fylde ranks within the top 50% of authorities in England and Wales. In the most extreme instances, Blackpool and Blackburn with Darwen ranked as the second and fourth from bottom respectively in England and Wales for male life expectancy and a further five local districts are placed in the bottom 20%, including Burnley, Hyndburn and Preston which were in the poorest 10%. Female life expectancy from birth follow a similar pattern with seven Lancashire districts grouped within the bottom ranked 20% in England and Wales; no less than six of these lie within the bottom 10%. Blackpool occupied the poorest position for female life expectancy (and was the fifth poorest in England and Wales) and was closely followed by Burnley and Blackburn with Darwen, all within the poorest 5% of authorities. At ward level, Lancashire has a marked skew towards wards exhibiting lower than average life expectancy with 106 or 35% of its wards lying within the poorest quintile (20%) compared with the England and Wales average.

• Not all the extra years of life expectancy are necessarily enjoyed in good health. Both healthy life expectancy (HLE) and disability-free life expectancy (DFLE) across much of Lancashire are well below those enjoyed nationally. About 35% of Lancashire wards have HLE or DFLE in the poorest fifth of wards in England and Wales.

• Blackpool had the unenviable distinction of recording both the highest male and female alcohol-related death rates in England, and two of the highest rates in the whole of the UK. Preston and Blackburn with Darwen also recorded some of the worst rates in the UK.

• In 2004 babies born weighing less than 2,500g accounted for about 7.6% of all live births in England and Wales, a rate that appears to have been fairly stable over recent years. The rate for Lancashire of 8.2%, was notably higher but was down in comparison to previous years. At the sub-Lancashire level a rather mixed and somewhat disturbing pattern is evident. Out of the 374 local district areas throughout England and Wales, Blackburn with Darwen, with a low birthweight of 10.9% of all live births in 2004, had the second worst rate, whilst Burnley recorded the seventh and Hyndburn the eighth lowest rates. Blackpool, Preston and Pendle were the three other Lancashire authorities to record higher percentages than the England and Wales average.

• The infant mortality rate in Lancashire, which is itself partly related to low birth weight, continues to fall in Lancashire, but at 6.1 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2003/05 remains well above the national average of 5.2. Eight Lancashire districts have an above-average IMR. Pendle, with the poorest IMR of all districts in England and Wales, together with Hyndburn and Preston are ranked in the lowest 5% nationally, with Burnley only just outside this range.

• Rates of cancer and circulatory disease mortality in Lancashire County, and Blackburn with Darwen and Blackpool Unitary Authorities have fallen over recent years but remain worse than the averages for England.

• Standardised Mortality Rates for Lancashire reveal that just three districts (Fylde, Ribble Valley and Wyre) have rates of less than 100, meaning that the number of deaths in these areas was less that the number that might have been expected if they had the same age-specific rates as England and Wales as a whole. Conversely, in all other Lancashire districts the rates were greater than 100, meaning that the number of observed or actual deaths was greater than expected.

• In Lancashire, there are more areas that have a greater prevalence of persons with illness or disability than might have been expected on the basis of the local demographic profiles. In total, 740 or 79% of the Lancashire's Lower Super Output Areas have values above the expected ratio of 100. More than 100 or 11% of Lancashire's LSOAs have illness and disability ratios more than double their expected values and of these, two have ratios in excess of three times their expected values. Viewed from a national perspective, Lancashire has 17 LSOAs that rank amongst the poorest 1% in England and 47 within the poorest 2%.

• The 2001 Census revealed that on average, a substantial 34% of the 21 million households in England and Wales contain at least one person with a limiting long-term illnes. For Lancashire, the average was somewhat higher at 38.4%.

• Mental Health indicator results reveal that in Lancashire, the distribution is heavily skewed towards areas that have a greater prevalence of persons with mental illness than might have been expected on the basis of the local demographic profiles. In total, 770 or more than 82% of the 940 Lower Super Output Areas (LSOAs) that cover the Lancashire sub-region have values above their expected score given the age and gender profile of the area. Of particular note is an LSOA within the Rose Grove South & Weavers' Triangle area of Burnley, with an indicator score of 2.63 (i.e. nearly three times the expected value) not only ranks as the poorest in Lancashire but also as no less than the 15th poorest for mental health in the whole of England. In addition, Lancashire has 26 LSOAs (nearly 3% of all Lancashire LSOAs) that rank amongst the poorest 1% for mental health in England and no less than 138 LSOAs (or nearly15% of all Lancashire LSOAs) that rank within the poorest 5% in England.

• Suicide Mortality rates for the 12-district Lancashire County area are on a par with the national average, but are higher in the two unitary authorities of Blackburn with Darwen and Blackpool. Most districts have seen a fall in suicide mortality rates over the past decade.

• In many localities a perception of poor quality of life allied with low expectations and aspirations: high proportions of households and individuals are in receipt of welfare benefits, including Jobseeker's Allowance, Incapacity Benefit, Income Support, Carer's Allowance, Disability Living Allowance, Bereavement Benefits, etc. In November 2007, there were over 5.1 million people (13.9% working age) in England and Wales claiming at least one benefit. Eight of the 14 local authorities in Lancashire had higher proportions of claimants than the national average.

• The 2001 Census revealed that Lancashire, with a figure of 34% had one of the highest shares of terraced housing stock in England and Wales (national average is 26%). Percentages of more than 50% are recorded in many parts of East Lancashire resulting in pockets of limited diversity in housing supply and demand for more semi and detached property choices in the east of the county.

• Reflecting the high numbers of terraced properties and the poor condition of some of the housing stock, Lancashire in 2006 had 40.6% of its dwelings classified within the lowest Council Tax Band A, a figure well above the average of 24.7% for England and Wales. Just 1.8% of Lancashire's housing stock was within top Bands G-H compared with 4.2% nationally. High concentrations of Band A properties are to be found in most urban areas across the sub-region.

Housing Renewal in East Lancashire

Elevate East Lancashire

• In 2006, 4.2% of dwellings in England were classified as unfit, but in many parts of Lancashire the rates were much higher. Blackburn with Darwen (17.2%), Pendle (16.6%) and Hyndburn (15.9%) recorded the worst rates of unfit dwellings in England, whilst Rossendale, Burnley and Blackpool were also ranked in the 50 local authorities with the highest rates.

• Average house prices across much of Lancashire lag those nationally, in some cases by a wide margin. However, affordability still remains an issue for many. In 2007 the ratio of median house price to median income in Lancashire stood at 5.74, having risen from 3.03 a decade earlier. The ratio in 2007 extended from a low of just 3.86 in Burnley to 7.70 in Ribble Valley, one of two local districts with a ratio above the England average.

• A combination of poor housing conditions and low incomes can mean that households cannot afford sufficient warmth for health and comfort and are said to be in a state of fuel poverty. This condition affects a large proportion of Lancashire households. Nearly one in eight of Lancashire Lower Super Output Areas are ranked within the poorest 5% in England for the proportion of households who live in fuel poverty.

• Population decline in some areas is marked by net outward migration of younger and better-qualified age groups. In particular, the population of Burnley has been in decline for a number of years with the positive natural rates of change unable to fully counteract negative net migration that amounted to -2,100 between 2001 and 2006. Over this period there was net outward migration of 4,300 people from the four East Lancashire authorities of Blackburn with Darwen, Burnley, Hyndburn and Pendle. Preston too suffered from net outward migration of -300 over the same period.

• In Lancashire there is a very diverse pattern of recorded crime. The highest rates and above average rates are to be found in Lancashire's four largest urban districts of Blackburn, Blackpool, Burnley and Preston, followed closely by Hyndburn and Pendle. All six of these areas are also within the top "most deprived" districts in England.

• The Best Value Performance Indicator surveys are undertaken every three years by all councils in England, (most recently in 2006). One of the main sections on the survey is on perceptions of anti-social behaviour. The responses to the residents survey in Pendle puts the area as having the third highest perceived level of anti-social behaviour in England (46%). The next highest Lancashire district is Burnley, also in the ten highest areas in England (41%). Rossendale (35%) and Hyndburn (34%) were the two other East Lancashire districts that were also ranked in the fifty highest areas.

• Pension Credit is designed to ensure that help is directed to pensioners at the lower end of the income scale. The number of pensioners claiming this benefit has been on the increase both nationally and in Lancashire. Pension Credit claimant numbers are highest in some of the inner-urban wards of Blackpool, Blackburn, Morecambe and Burnley. This contrasts with concentrations of State Pension claimants that emphasise the popularity of less populated coastal and rural areas of the county for pensioners in general.

• The Income Deprivation affecting older people results from the 2007 Indices of Deprivation reveal that the worst Lancashire results were in urban areas of Preston, Blackburn and Burnley. Attendance Allowance provides financial help to people aged 65 or over who are physically or mentally disabled. A sustained pattern of yearly increases in the caseload in Lancashire, and at the national level, is now well established.

• Large increases in fuel prices have focused attention on fuel poverty and whether this will become a growing problem. There is a long-term association between fuel poverty and pensioners on fixed incomes however there have been government initiatives to specifically address this issue.

Oswaldtwistle Mills

www.o-mills.co.uk

• Tourism facilities and related businesses benefit from mutual support. Complementary attractions in close proximity, along with shops, pubs and restaurants, can together create a critical mass for a local tourism cluster. Some of the smaller specialist museums in Lancashire, especially in the urban centres away from the coast, lack the support of other nearby tourism-related activities. Recent statistics on the number of visitors to tourist attractions number of visitors to tourist attractions in Lancashire record declining numbers of visitors to various sites. The overall tourism market can however prove difficult to assess primarily because of the large number of attractions for which no results are published. In addition, the published results may be affected by factors such as temporary closures for redevelopments, the weather, inaccurate estimates of visitors, and one-off major events etc., that can all distort yearly comparisons.

• The demands of new industries and services, coupled with the decline of traditional manufacturing within the county, have placed increasing pressure for change upon both the historic fabric of Lancashire's towns and the wider countryside. Whilst change itself has been and will continue to be a feature of life in Lancashire, it is important to ensure that the unique character of the county's towns and rural environment is preserved.

• In December 2006, Lancashire County Council undertook a residents' postal survey. A total of 1,678 questionnaires were returned (37%) and amongst other things, the results assessed the perception of the local area by Lancashire residents. There was a question that asked, 'to what extent do you agree or disagree that this local areas is a place where people from different backgrounds get on well together?' About half of respondents agree that people in their local area get on well together, though a large minority said they didn't know or could not express an opinion (36%). There were noticeable differences between the East and West of the County. Residents of East Lancashire were much more likely to disagree (29%) than the rest of the County (10%).

• National policy changes such as the introduction of civil partnerships exemplify a commitment to achieve a more tolerant society.It is estimated that nationally, around 5-7% of people have a lesbian, gay bisexual or transgender sexual (LGBT) orientation. It is therefore important to know whether Lancashire employers actively support diversity in the workplace and for their customers. The Stonewall organisation is a lobbying group that represents this sector of the community. In January 2008, the organisation published its latest annual Workplace Equality Index that seeks to identify the UK's top 100 employers for lesbian, gay and bisexual staff. The list is said to have a significant impact on how this sector of society choose where to work, study or to spend their disposable income. There are no public or private sector organisations that have their HQ in Lancashire in the top 100. In 2008, the Stonewall website also detailed the Diversity Champions programme. This is where employers can work with Stonewall, and each other, to promote diverse lifestyles in the workplace. In April 2008, the list had 380 members that included Blackpool & the Fylde College, Blackpool Coastal Housing Ltd., Blackpool Council, Lancashire Constabulary and the University of Central Lancashire. Blackpool is said to have a notable gay community and social scene, and this may reflect the reason why three Blackpool organisations are on the list. Lancashire County Council has launched a LGBT Network and the authority aims to become a member of Stonewall's Diversity Champions programme.

View of Nelson and the Surrounding Countryside

• Many of Lancashire's towns still have the unmistakable physical stamp of an earlier manufacturing era. This is particularly apparent in East Lancashire urban areas where the industrial landscape and the high levels of terraced property combine to present a negative impression to some visitors.

• A pioneering study of the prospects for the economic development of North East Lancashire published in July 1959 by the Economist Intelligence Unit stated that, "The area has not been well endowed by nature. The climate is damp and windy, with less than average sunshine and more than average rainfall. As is to be expected in a hilly district, the soil is not good enough for intensive farming, and the sloping ground makes large-scale cultivation impossible. The greyness of the moors is reflected in the towns themselves, but very attractive country can quickly be reached, particularly in the softer and more wooded regions of the Ribble". After 50 years, is this how people would still perceive the area or has the span of time, the regeneration of the area and changing attitudes towards the local environment affected what visitors think of the area? See Visit Burnley, Visit Rossendale, Pendle Tourism, Elevate East Lancashire.

• The Best Value Performance Indicator surveys that are undertaken every three years by all councils in England, include several questions on the perceptions of the local area. The 2006 revealed that there are great variations in perceptions of the local area across Lancashire. Fylde and Ribble Valley districts are both in the top quartile of all council areas in England, while Blackpool, Rossendale, Blackburn with Darwen, Burnley, Hyndburn and Pendle are all in the lowest 25%. With only half of residents satisfied with their local area, Pendle (51%) has the third lowest score of all 387 local authority areas.

• Restructuring of the seaside resorts required to meet continued decline of traditional family holiday markets and the resorts' outdated physical infrastructure.

• Blackpool, for many people, has a low quality, cheap and cheerful image that is unattractive to higher spending market segments, overseas visitors and the important conference trade. The town is however trying hard to improve its physical environment.