Labour Northwest election campaign gathers momentum

All Labour Councillors and campaign candidates for the local and General Election on May 7th 2015 are now out canvassing and residents across Hyndburn are currently being contacted with information on who will be on the ballot papers next year.

Cards with information on elected Labour representatives have been produced for all wards and these include details of how to get in touch with Graham Jones MP who is also up for re-election after a successful first term.

If anyone has any questions or would like to help out during the campaign (even delivering a handful of leaflets) then please do get in touch with your local Labour Councillors.

HBC: Extraordinary Cabinet meeting to discuss Lyndon Playing Fields

The Council has received a huge response to its proposal to dispose of Lyndon Playing Fields, Great Harwood for residential development.

Acknowledging the local interest in the proposed sale, Councillor Paul Cox, Deputy Leader of Hyndburn Borough Council said, "We had made provisional arrangements for the proposed disposal to be considered by a meeting of the full Cabinet on 29th September.  We have now decided to postpone the meeting of the Cabinet to allow full consideration of the consultation responses, and at the same time, it allows Councillor Miles Parkinson to return from Holiday, to chair the Cabinet meeting."

The Cabinet meeting has been re-scheduled for Friday the 10th of October at 10.00am and will take place at Scaitcliffe House, Ormerod Street, Accrington.  Due to the level of interest in the proposed disposal the Council expect all 30 places designated for members of the public to be taken up and places will be allocated on a first come first served basis.  During the Cabinet meeting the public will be given the opportunity to speak.

Peel: Contact cards being delivered

Members of the Labour party have been out in Peel delivering contact cards for the local representatives, including details for Graham Jones MP.

Teams in every area have been out campaigning ahead of next year's election and the response so far has been overwhelmingly positive for the current administration at Hyndburn Borough Council.

Second Hyndburn benefit fraud case to be shown on BBC One on 29th September 2014

Two completed Hyndburn Benefit Fraud cases feature in the BBC One TV programme Saints & Scroungers. One of the cases was joint working with the DWP and the other was a Hyndburn-led case. Both were significant frauds and were picked up by the national press following press releases to the local media. Researchers for the programme came across these cases and approached the Council requesting to feature both cases in the new series of Saints & Scroungers.

The first case was led by the DWP with support from Hyndburn and features the Fraud Manager, Neil Osliffe talking about aspects of the case. This was transmitted on Monday 22nd September 2014 at 11.00am on BBC One and can currently be viewed on iPlayer.

The second case was led by our Investigations Team and features the Fraud Manager and one of our Fraud Officers, Matt Woods who both talk about the case and how we cracked the case. This will be transmitted on Monday 29th September 2014 at 11.00am on BBC One.

If you believe there is someone in Hyndburn who may be committing Benefit Fraud tell us so we can stop them. There is a report a fraud form via Hyndburn’s website or you can contact any member of the Investigations Team:

HBC - Report Benefit Fraud

Barnfield: Oakhill Park bowling green issues addressed

Several issues have been raised with Peel and Barnfield Councillors regarding antisocial behaviour at Oakhill Park bowling green.

Cllr June Harrison said, "We have been made aware of people abusing the facility and it is aggravating a lot of the bowlers. We are actively looking for funding to erect a tasteful fence around the area to prevent future incidents."

Cllr Ken Moss, who is Cabinet Member for Parks, said, "I've had reports of people playing football on the lawn, riding bikes across it, even having picnics on it. We are asking for a bit of respect for the bowling green and its users but unfortunately this is not what we are getting. I have spoken to the Barnfield Councillors and we are looking to find the money to fence the green off and prevent further incidents."

Barnfield: Labour team canvassing for June Harrison

The Labour team in Barnfield have been out canvassing for several weeks now ahead of the local and General Elections on 7th May 2015. Cllr June Harrison (pictured centre right) is seeking a second term as local representative for the area.

Cards with contact details have been pushed through every door in the area and also contain contact information for Graham Jones Mp who is also looking for re-election following his victory in May 2010.

Clayton-le-Moors: Woodlands flytipping and bridge problem addressed by HBC

Flytipping at Woodlands in Clayton-le-Moors has been reported to Cllr Miles Parkinson and the Parks department at HBC have now dealt with it.

The issue of slipping on the footbridge was also raised shortly afterwards and some chicken wire has now been nailed to the surface to make it safe to walk on.

Great Harwood Rovers FC Chairman makes public statement

The Chairman of Great Harwood Rovers FC, Craig Hall, has made a public statement regarding comments made at a meeting last week to discuss future developments at Lyndon Playing Fields.

His statement can be read by clicking the image above.

Accrington Lions give £100 to Mayor's charity

Tracy Simmonds presented Mayor Munsif Dad with a cheque from the Accrington Lions for £100 on Wednesday 17th September to go towards the Mayoral charity fund.

Councillor Dad has chosen 4 local charities to support during his year as Mayor of Hyndburn: North West Air Ambulance, Hyndburn Macmillan Cancer Support, Accrington Blind Society and East Lancs Hospice.

Knuzden: Election canvassing with Graham Jones MP

Members of the Labour group have been out campaigning with MP Graham Jones in Knuzden ahead of the General Election on May 7th 2015. Graham is standing for a second term as Labour MP for Hyndburn and Haslingden and has been out with local supporters every week since the start of Summer.

He said, "We've been out in Knuzden this evening, hard on the campaign trail with only 229 days to go until the General Election next year. We have had really good feedback on the door, with several residents commenting on how good it was to see us out and about long before the election."

Hyndburn Community Sports Awards 2014

The annual Hyndburn Community Sports Award ceremony was held at Accrington Town Hall on Thursday 18th September and was organised by Hyndburn Leisure Trust.

Mayor Munsif Dad introduced the eveing by saying, "Welcome to the 10th annual Hyndburn Sports Awards which recognise some of the best sporting people in our borough. I am delighted to see such a mix of sporting nominees from across Hyndburn at all levels."

Cabinet Member for Education, Leisure and The Arts, Cllr Ken Moss, said, "It's a honour to present these awards because they don't just reward achievement but show that commitment to any community activity will be recognised by others. Well done to all those who won tonight and, to those who didn't, being nominated is in itself recognition of hard work."

The event was hosted by Simon Brierley from The Bee local radio station and the list of winners is shown below.

Coach of the Year: LEIGHTON KERANS

Adult Volunteer of the Year: JOHN DRINKWATER

Service to Disability in Sport: SPRING INTO ACTION

Inspire Award: PAUL BEACOURAN

Young Volunteer of the Year: KERRY BAMFORD & BETH HIBBERT
(Highly Commended: JACK KERANS)

Team of the Year: ACCROSS FC
(Highly Commended: HYNDBURN YOUTH UNDER-11s & THE ROSES)

Community Club of the Year: ACCRINGTON GIRLS & LADIES FC
(Highly Commended: ST JOSEPHS FC)

Community Sports Project: HYNDBURN & RIBBLE VALLEY SCHOOL SPORTS PARTNERSHIP

Rising Star: MATTHEW BOYD

School of the Year Award: ST MARY'S RC PRIMARY SCHOOL, OSWALDTWISTLE
(Highly Commended: PEEL PARK PRIMARY SCHOOL & ST CHARLES RC PRIMARY SCHOOL)

Lifetime Achievement Award: ALAN GREENWOOD

There was also entertainment from freestyle footballer John Patrick Aquaviva and guest speaker Ian Peel, who talked about his experiences as a silver medal winner for Great Britain at Clay Pigeon Shooting.

WWI Magic Lantern Tales at Accrington Library - 25th September 2014

Using a real magic lantern projector, poet & broadcaster Ian McMillan and documentary photographer Ian Beesley tell a story of the First World War from the point of view of men who survived it and lived on to old age and a changing world. Here too are the tales of women who worked in the factories that oiled the wheels of war.

We often view war as a series of huge historical sweeps and this show reminds us that war is made by people who each have their own narrative of what happened. Ian & Ian also explore the culture of magic lantern shows - from the natural world to engineering and from small disasters to Empire.

Lancashire County Council's Cultural Services in partnership with Spot On Lancashire, are delighted to bring this magical performance to Accrington Library on Thursday 25th September at 8pm.

Ian McMillan said, "This is a magical evening of slides and words that tell the stories of a war that caught ordinary people in its terrible net; these are timeless tales singing in flickering light."

Tickets          £10 Adults               £8 Children & concessions

Call into Accrington Library to get a ticket or call the Arts Development Team on 01772 533040 or 07585 983967 and leave a message with: Date & Venue, your name, mobile contact number and how many tickets you would like. Please collect your tickets and pay in cash at the library.

HBC: Hyndburn fraud case to feature on BBC One programme

A little while ago we gave permission for the TV programme Saints & Scroungers to use one of the benefit frauds discovered by our Fraud Team as a subject of one of their episodes.

It is now due to be shown on Monday 22nd September 2014 at 11.00am on BBC1.

HBC: Showing support for the United Kingdom

The Scottish flag, the Saltire, has been flown at Accrington Town Hall to show support for the continued Union of Scotland with the rest of the United Kingdom.

Leader of the Council, Cllr Miles Parkinson, said, "This is something which Councils up and down the country are doing and we wanted to show our support. Flying the Saltire has cross-party support nationally and we are sending the signal from Hyndburn that we are better together."

Scotland votes on whether it will leave the Union and become an independent country or not on 18th September 2014.

Rishton: Canal development plan moves forward

Cllr Clare Cleary (who is Cabinet Member for Housing & Regeneration) has been leading on meetings involving all the Rishton Councillors and senior HBC staff to drive forward plans to regenerate the canal corridor through Rishton.

Cllr Cleary said, "Currently, there are five potential development sites along the canal and we have now got a definite timeframe in place for consultation and drawing up of a concrete document for how we want the canal corridor to eventually look. We want the sites to be attractive to developers but also ensure that they are developed in a way which is of benefit to Rishton as well. Mistakes have been made in the past, particularly with social housing, and we are keen to avoid that in the future."

The canal masterplan is due to be completed by June 2015 and will involve public consultation and meetings. More details will be published when available.

The Robin Hood Tax

Deputy Leader of HBC, Cllr Paul Cox, was successful in getting his motion passed at Full Council on 11th September to write to the Government in support of The Robin Hood Tax. It is requested that a tax of 0.5% is levied to the profits and bonuses of bankers to raise around £20billion which is equal to the amount raised in Council tax each year and would solve many of the country's problems.

Cllr Cox said, "Thank you to my Labour colleagues for supporting this motion, although I am disappointed that the Hyndburn Conservatives could not do the same and would prefer to support bankers. I would urge people to take a few minutes to watch this short clip and think what could be achieved with just a tiny difference that would benefit so many."

YouTube - The Banker

Church: Cllr John Broadley endorses his prospective successor

Outgoing Church Councillor John Broadley has endorsed the candidate selected to replace him in the local elections in 2015.

John said, "I've done my bit and enjoyed it, particularly my time as Mayor in 2012, but it's time for new blood. Loraine has been very active with the Labour group and it's reassuring to see that Church will be in safe hands if she wins. I'm now looking forward to more time with my wife and family and winding down a bit."

Loraine Cox was selected to represent Labour and is already out on the campaign trail with members of the canvassing team. Responses on the doorstep so far have been very positive and Loraine is hopeful of a win on May 7th next year.

Labour debunk Conservative myths of overcharging on Council tax

Hyndburn Conservative Leader, Cllr Peter Britcliffe, has repeatedly accused Labour of overcharging on Council tax as current indications show that there will be a surplus of £165,000 by the end of the financial year in 2015.

Cllr Gareth Molineux, Cabinet Member for Resources, responded by saying, "We are halfway through the financial year and it would be stupid to take any figures as guaranteed final sums so early. Cllr Britcliffe should be well aware of this but seems to be demonstrating his lack of understanding our finances yet again."

Cabinet Member for Education, Leisure and The Arts, Cllr Ken Moss, also rebuffed the accusation. He said, "A cursory look at the Council tax increases since 1999 shows that Cllr Britcliffe increased Council tax by considerable amounts nearly every year that he was in power. Labour haven't raised HBC Council tax since 2011 and still managed to deal with the cuts imposed on us by the Conservative coalition government, plus put a bit aside to deal with the £12.9m of debts you left us with in 2011. If we are overcharging, what on Earth were you doing during your decade in control?"

The table below shows the HBC portion of Council tax since 1999 when Cllr Britcliffe became Leader of the Council. The percentage figures in red show years when Labour have been in control in Hyndburn:

BAND D COUNCIL TAX

YEAR       HBC      INCREASE    TOTAL

1999/00 £151.53       6.9% £939.87

2000/01 £151.51       0.0% £982.46

2001/02 £163.41       7.8% £1,026.56

2002/03 £167.88       2.7% £1,098.32

2003/04 £174.42       3.9% £1,199.61

2004/05 £181.22       3.9% £1,258.67

2005/06 £190.28       5.0% £1,300.39

2006/07 £199.70       5.0% £1,364.35

2007/08 £209.29       4.8% £1,438.88

2008/09 £219.65       5.0% £1,492.83

2009/10 £230.52       5.0% £1,543.31

2010/11 £230.52       0.0% £1,548.74

2011/12 £230.52       0.0% £1,548.74

2012/13 £230.52       0.0% £1,552.40

2013/14 £230.52       0.0% £1,533.22

2014/15 £230.52       0.0% £1,557.87

A financial report is produced for each monthly Cabinet meeting and the latest one can be read here:

Financial Position 2014-2015 - Report to end of July 2014

Spring Hill: Trevor and Val Stokes win Ruby Award

Two local stalwarts of the much loved Accrington Pipe Band have become recipients of the ‘Ruby Award’, which was launched to mark 40 years of Hyndburn Council and recognises people in the Borough who have made an exceptional contribution to their communities.

Husband and wife, Trevor and Val Stokes, were both chosen to receive the Accrington Ruby Award for their many years running Accrington Pipe Band. Pipe Major Trevor has been playing for the band for over 50 years after starting as a teenager.

Cllr Bernard Dawson made the nomination and said, "I'd just like to pay tribute to the many years' service you have given to the Accrington Pipe band and how much of an ambassador you have been for the borough. The band is a credit to the town and we applaud the efforts of Trevor and Val to keep it going."

Cllr Pam Barton, "I am delighted to second the nomination, particularly as both Trevor and Val are Spring Hill residents. The Accrington Pipe Band is loved by everyone, it brings both joy and tears to anyone who hears it. Congratulations to you both for your exceptional service to the Hyndburn community."

Accrington Pipe band is well known and is the oldest civilian Pipe Band in the UK and possibly across the world. Proudly displaying the Accrington Coat of Arms, they represent Hyndburn at many local events including Remembrance Day and Armed Forces Day events, recent WW1 commemorations events and many local galas and carnivals.  They also put Accrington on the international stage playing at events like Tartan Week in New York, the only band to represent the UK there.

Formed in 1885, the band has a long and proud history with connections to the Accrington Pals.   The nomination says; “Whilst many other local Pipe Bands have ceased to exist in recent times, Accrington Pipe Band march on... Trevor and Val’s unstinting service to the band and the local community deserves some form of recognition and would be a just reward for their many years of hard work carried out on behalf of the band and the Hyndburn community.”

Cllr Miles Parkinson, Council Leader said; “Trevor and Val have given many years of voluntary service to Accrington Pipe Band, which is a well known, much loved and highly respected part of the Hyndburn community.  The Band represents the Borough proudly at so many events throughout the year, most recently the WW1 Commemoration events.  Trevor and Val do a wonderful job running the band and actively encourage people to join the band, with many children and teenagers becoming proficient players. The band is recognised locally, nationally and even internationally and Trevor and Val have given much time and energy voluntarily to contribute to its success."

Trevor and Val Stokes were presented with the award at the Council meeting on Thursday 11th September 2014 in the Council Chamber, Town Hall, Accrington.

HBC: Labour position on fracking

A question was addressed to the Leader of the Council regarding fracking at the meeting held on 11th September 2014. Labour’s approach to shale gas is to ensure that any possible extraction in the UK takes place only in a robust and safe regulatory environment which commands public trust.

In March 2012, Labour set out 6 regulatory conditions which we believe must be met before shale gas extraction can take place in the UK. On 26th August 2014, Labour tabled amendments to the Infrastructure Bill in the Lords to ensure these conditions are in place, so that there can have be confidence in a robust regulatory framework that protects the environment.

Labour's six conditions are as follows:

1. Seismic Monitoring

Evidence of seismic activity led to the suspension of operations in Lancashire in 2011. As Labour set out in an article for Business Green on 7 March 2012, baseline conditions should be assessed prior to any exploratory work with micro-seismic monitoring, in order to discriminate natural from artificially induced seismic events once the drilling begins. An early warning detection system should also be implemented, similar to that used in the Netherlands and Germany, which would allow measures to be taken before seismic activity has a noticeable impact.

2. Disclosure of Frack Fluid

There has been a lack of transparency and control in the USA on exactly what is being used to fracture shale rocks and extract the resulting gas. In the UK, the chemicals used must be restricted to those that are proven to be non-hazardous. Further, there should be mandated disclosure of all the chemicals to be used in fracking, including their toxicity levels.

3. Well Integrity

The integrity of each shale gas well must be assured to prevent water contamination. An independent assessment of the well design, the cement bond between the casing and well bore, in addition to the composition of the casing to determine its ability to resist corrosion, is essential.

4. Groundwater Methane

The level of methane in groundwater should also be assessed prior to any drilling. Methane can occur naturally in groundwater, but there is concern from the experience in the USA that it may occur as a result of fracking. In each case, that needs to be assessed prior to any activity, so there is robust baseline information to monitor against.

5. EIA

All potential shale exploration sites should be subject to screening for an environmental impact assessment – at present, those below one hectare do not need to undertake such an assessment. This assessment should include the level of water used, how much can be recycled and the availability of water in each case.

6. 12 Month Monitoring Period

All of the monitoring activity referred to above should take place over a twelve month period, to allow sufficient time to gather all of the evidence required to make an informed decision on whether to proceed with exploration.

So far, the Conservative-led coalition has failed to meet all these six requirements.

It was put to the vote and all Labour members voted in favour of the position as laid out by the Leader of the Council. All members of the Independents and UKIP also voted but the Conservatives did not take part and Cllr Peter Britcliffe did not give any clear indication of his group's position on the matter.

HBC: Just 4 Conservatives turn up for Full Council meeting

At the meeting of the full Council of 35 representatives throughout Hyndburn on 11th September, only four Conservative members turned up. Attendance at meetings has been an issue raised recently by the local press and the row of empty seats on the Conservative side was glaringly obvious to both elected members and the public.

Cllr Peter Britcliffe, Leader of the Conservative group in Hyndburn, was also challenged about his own attendance at Cabinet as he has missed several meetings since July. It is generally accepted amongst Councillors that all members should attend Full Council meetings barring exceptional circumstances.

Cllr Britcliffe responded simply by saying, "I tell you what, next year I won't have any holidays, OK?"

HBC: Julie Hesmondhalgh voted to win Freedom of the Borough

Accrington actress Julie Hesmondhalgh was unanimously voted to be awarded the Freedom of the Borough at the Full Council meeting on Thursday 11th September 2014. The report presented to Council can be viewed here:

Item 7 - Nomination for Freedom of the Borough

Cabinet Member for Education, Leisure and The Arts, Cllr Ken Moss, moved the report and said, "Julie has found fame up and down the country by playing the much-loved Hayley Cropper and has brought discussions about euthanasia back to the fore. Her portrayal is largely responsible for that and the fact that she won two awards for it this year speaks volumes."

Cllr Harry Grayson said, "During my time working at the East Lancashire Hospice she had been involved in fundraising for us and was a great boost to everyone. She helped raise quite a bit of money because of her stardom but was very down to Earth. A lovely woman, she fully deserves this award."

Cllr Munsif Dad met her recently as the current Mayor of Hyndburn and said, "I was at a function not long ago and Julie was there. We got chatting and once she realised I was from Accrington she talked about it for another ten minutes. She came across as being very proud of her hometown and certainly hasn't forgotten her roots."

The award will be given at a special presentation some time in the autumn.

Milnshaw: Cllr Paul Cox calls on the Government to introduce Financial Transaction Tax

Milnshaw Labour Councillor, Paul Cox  has put forward a motion, at the next Hyndburn full Council meeting scheduled for the 11th of September at 7pm, in support of a Financial Transaction Tax. This Tax, if introduced, could raise as much as £20 billion of additional revenue a year from a tiny tax of about 0.05% on transactions carried out by financial institutions – not ordinary individuals. But on speculative deals made on the stock market.

Proceeds from the tax, also known as a Robin Hood Tax, could help get people back into work, be invested in infrastructure and public services, as well as helping us live up to our international commitments

Cllr Cox said, "The effects of reckless banking practices in the City of London have been felt by every community in the UK and many around the world – it is only right banks now pay their fair share to repair the damage they have caused. If local Councils are being asked to bear 28% cuts that have hit local people hard, it doesn’t seem unreasonable to ask the banks to pay a tax of as little as 0.05%. It would take less than one week of FTT revenue to fund the salaries of 4,000 new police constables, 4,000 newly qualified nurses and 4,000 teachers."

The motion will resolve to write to the Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister, Leader of the Opposition, Chancellor and Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer and Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government stating this Council’s support for implementing a wide-ranging Financial Transaction Tax that could help rebalance Britain away from an over-reliance on the City of London.

Cllr Cox added, "The money generated from this tax should be put back into local services that have been hit the hardest, the ten most deprived boroughs have been hit 16 times harder by this coalitions government cuts. This tax, although only tiny in comparison, would help rebalance this injustice and make those responsible pay their fair share."

The Motion can be viewed here, or if you require any more information contact Cllr Paul Cox.

Full Council - 11th September 2014

The next meeting of all 35 Hyndburn Councillors will take place on Thursday 11th September at 7.00pm in the Town Hall. Members of the public can come along and view proceedings from the gallery.

A full agenda pack can be found by following this link:

Council - 11th September 2014

Baxenden: David Hartley selected to represent Labour in 2015

David Hartley has once again been selected by the Baxenden Labour branch to be the candidate in the 2015 local elections. David has fought several campaigns in Baxenden in recent years and his hard work has narrowed the gap between the Labour and Conservative votes considerably.

The Labour group have been out campaigning in Baxenden and early responses are very favourable, showing a surprising spike in opinion against the Tories.

David can be contacted on 07866776917 or by emailing dhartley1992@hotmail.co.uk

Immanuel: Colette McCormack campaigning for 2015

Former Mayor of Hyndburn, Colette McCormack (centre), has been out canvassing in Immanuel ahead of the 2015 local election for the ward.

Colette is no stranger to HBC, having previously been a Councillor and narrowly beaten in the 2014 elections. She hopes to regain her seat next year and has the support of the Labour party.

Netherton: Wall at Churchfield Garden in need of repair

The wall around Churchfield Garden has been damaged along the Beech Street section and has now been reported for repair by Netherton ward Councillor, Bernadette Parkinson.

Accrington: India Street play area to be removed

The play area at India Street in Accrington is to be removed as it has reached the end of its lifespan and is now considered beyond economical repair.

An opportunity to replace this play area at the nearby Bradshaw Street site exists and this is to be explored and developed with local consultation. This alternative site will allow greater opportunity for a children’s play area than currently exists at the India Street location, which is limited in space and close to a number of local properties. Some fund raising will be required to provide a new, modern, play facility and this will take time to develop and as such the replacement to this play area will not occur until 2016 at the earliest.

Removal of this play area is programmed to take place on Monday 15th September. Grass seed will be sown in place of the play area to provide a small green garden area at this location.

Rishton: Cllr Ken Moss on BBC Radio Lancashire

Cllr Ken Moss appeared on the Sean McGinty programme on 27th August 2014 to discuss the forthcoming nomination of actress Julie Hesmondhalgh for the Freedom of the Borough award.

Julie is set to be put forward for the award at the meeting of the full Council on 11th September. It is the highest honour given to any resident and is conferred on people who have given eminent service to the borough. There are currently eight living Freemen of the Borough (including athlete Ron Hill) and the honour was also given to the entire Duke of Lancaster Regiment earlier this year.

Cllr Moss said, "Julie is a prominent Accrington actress and one of several from the area to have appeared on Coronation Street. Her euthanasia storyline brought discussion of the subject to the fore, largely thanks to her portrayal, and the fact that she has won awards for that performance speaks volumes."

He added, "She has still kept her Accrington roots and is also a supporter of the Maundy Relief charity right here in our borough. She thoroughly deserves to become a Freeman due to her work in promoting the area."

The nomination will be put to the vote and, if successful, the award ceremony will take place this autumn.

Accrington Motor Show - 6th September 2014

Accrington town centre will be transformed into Monte Carlo on Saturday 6th September with a cavalcade of historic cars unlike anything seen in the town before!

At 11am, around 25 historic cars of various makes, models and ages will set off in spectacular convoy from the Dunkenhalgh Hotel & Spa in Clayton-le-Moors, near Blackburn, making their way to Accrington’s Broadway in the town centre as part of the daytime celebrations of the Rally Drivers’ Ball.

The event will pay tribute to the Accrington Pals in the centenary year of World War One and there will be a collection in the town centre to raise money for future Pals’ projects.

These remarkable vehicles will then be on display in the grounds of the Dunkenhalgh Hotel & Spa for the remainder of the afternoon.

The collection will showcase a variety of classic racing cars, including rally cars, several entrants from the Le Mans 24 hour race and even a Formula 1 car from 100 years ago, all of which will driving through Accrington town centre for all to see.

The circuit will have a ceremonial start at the Dunkenhalgh Hotel & Spa with Tim Foster from “Group B Rally Cars” and Chris Wood himself. The cars will drive through to Broadway before turning back and returning to the starting point.

During the circuit, there will be the chance for a photo call outside Accrington town hall, so no one will miss the once-in-alifetime opportunity to capture these spectacular vehicles all in one place!

If you have a historical car you’d like to display at the motor show, please get in touch with Kevin Furber on 07850 732867 or kevin@scottdawson.co.uk

A website for the event can be found here