STEVE Hoyle has spent the last 15 years of his career working to attract new jobs and investment to Blackburn and Darwen.

When he joined the borough council in 1987, unemployment stood at an unacceptable 18 per cent -- three times the national average.

Today, the unemployment rate is down to a more manageable five per cent, still higher than the rest of East Lancashire, but a figure heading in the right direction.

Armed with statistics, facts and figures, he provides a compelling argument that Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council has made a real difference to the towns' economy.

And now the authority has become one of only a handful in the UK to be awarded Beacon Status for its work with growing small companies, it is difficult to argue with him.

"Economic development has been one of the council's main priorities since the mid-1980s," explained Steve, now the assistant director of regeneration, responsible for all employment initiatives. "What we have done is to create a range of support based on what the local economy needs.

"The whole of East Lancashire has been losing traditional manufacturing jobs and Blackburn has not been immune.

"What we are trying to do is to minimise the impact of that through the diversification of the local economy."

The Blackburn blueprint has been based on a comprehensive package of support that embraces industrial and commercial property; technology-based advice and assistance; inward investment; business start-ups; and a generous grants regime.

Blackburn has been fortunate in attracting government and European grants to assist the job creation process. Neighbouring authorities can only look on in envy as the borough continues to pull in millions of pounds from initiatives such as City Challenge and the Single Regeneration Budget.

Blackburn's own budget for economic regeneration is £1.5 million, a figure topped up with three to four times that amount by way of grant assistance.

The council also promotes an active policy of working in partnership with the private sector which levers in millions of pounds of further investment into the borough.

Steve points to initiatives such as the Shadsworth Business Park, which has been transformed over the past three years from an old out-of-town industrial estate.

He said more than £15 million had been invested in the business park, to capitalise on its location next to the M65 motorway. Thirty new businesses had been attracted to the site, bringing with them 1,000 extra jobs, predominantly in the manufacturing sector.

"Companies have not come to Shadsworth just for the grants that are available," he said. "The support and assistance we can provide them with is just as important. Inter Link Foods, for example, needed to relocate part of its operations within a seven-month timescale and we promised a new bakery and delivered it."

Steve said a major priority had been to provide incubator units for technology-based small firms, backed by a range of specialist assistance. The Blackburn Technology Management Centre at Greenbank had not only provided high-quality accommodation, but support in areas such as product development, prototyping and patents. With the support of all-important European grants, a second building had been completed in partnership with Blackburn College, which was now a centre of excellence for IT and computer training. One of the first tenants at the TMC was Formfill, a start-up business specialising in data capture. Last month, the company was named as the tenth fastest-growing technology business in the North West and now has its own custom-built headquarters at the nearby Phoenix Business Park.

Given Blackburn's racial mix, another priority is support for ethnic minority businesses. Steve explained that the main objective was to harness the Asian community's entrepreneurial flair and bring them into the mainstream economy.

So, just what help can Blackburn with Darwen provide to small and medium-sized companies? Grants totalling £400,000 are available to support job creation, investment in technology and environmental improvements. There are wage subsidy schemes to encourage firms to take on the long-term unemployed and grants to help cover the cost of training. In commercial improvement areas, there are even grants to improve shop fronts. Steve said the results of the council's investment were constantly monitored to ensure the money was spent wisely. Last year, the council had exceeded all but one of its targets and had created or preserved 1,365 jobs, attracted more than £13 million of private sector investment and had helped 47 new business start-ups. A total of 275 companies had been helped with business support measures and 33 firms assisted with relocation or expansion. More than 500 people had also been helped into employment.

It is a track record of which Steve and the council are proud. But he is well aware that much more remains to be done for Blackburn to become the powerhouse of the East Lancashire economy.

"There are around 5,000 companies located in the borough," he added. "We deal with around 1,500 enquiries a year which means there are still a lot of businesses out there we could help."