COUNCIL chiefs are being urged to take action to halt the growing number of job losses affecting East Lancashire.

Members of Hyndburn Council are demanding the authority works with local agencies to create an economy which isn't dependent on manufacturing.

The councillors hit out after Leoni Wiring Systems, which plans to shed 550 jobs when it transfers work to Romania later this year, announced that it has no intention of discussing the possibility of saving some work for Accrington.

Now councillors want to make sure the borough isn't hit as badly again.

Coun John Griffiths, who worked at Leoni when it was known as Rists, said: "It was with shock that we realised we would be losing 550 jobs.

"But we shouldn't have been surprised because we all knew the firm, for months, had been sending out our staff to Romanian and Egypt to set up production lines there.

"The writing was, I'm afraid, on the wall. They has used our expertise to set up a cheap production line in a country where wages are pitiful. "It is now very important that we do all we can to attract new, diverse, businesses to the area which, above all, are committed to the area."

His views are shared by Labour leader Coun Ian Ormerod, who said: "Manufacturing has been our vanguard industry for the last 30 years but we have to face up to the fact that it won't be in the future.

"We need to bring in new, diverse businesses which won't leave the moment the going gets tough. These businesses must be committed for the long-term future of Hyndburn."

Council leader Peter Britcliffe said the council is ready to go into partnership with other organisations.

He said: "We have learnt, painfully, that when most area's catch a cold, we get hit with the full draught.

"We must accept the Leoni jobs are gone forever and our fragile economy needs strengthening.

"We will do that by bringing in new firms who want to be here and are here for the future.

"We owe that to the people of Hyndburn."