A LEADING Liberal Democrat councillor has accused the Labour group of delaying regeneration.

Councillor Tony Greaves told Pendle Council's Executive Committee that residents in the Whitefield area of Nelson had seen few changes since the Elevate programme was launched there in 2004.

He said: "It's still in the same state it was three years ago and the people of Whitefield willl think the whole thing is a joke.

"They are getting frustrated at how long it's taking to get things off the ground."

In Whitefield, residents launched a huge protest against large-scale demolition, but houses are set to be converted inside to larger family homes.

The first designs for the area were displayed in the town earlier this year.

Coun Greaves said the council had to hope that the Nelson Committee would pass the plans for Whitefield. The Liberal Democrat group only has a majority of one member, over five Labour, one Conservative and one BNP.

He said: "We can't even knock down the old Printworks, which is a horrible eyesore that we have been wanting to knock down for years because they keep trying to block things. It's nonsense."

No Labour councillors were at the committee, which is made up of senior members of the Liberal Democrat ruling group.