NEW political group Farnworth and Kearsley First held its third meeting as it gears up to fight for a better deal for the two towns.

More than 60 people attended the gathering at Trinity Methodist Church, in Market Street on Thursday night.

The group agreed its constitution and appointed Peter Flitcroft as party leader, Paul Heslop as election officer and Vic Gethin at its previous meeting in June.

And it expects its application to be officially recognised as a political party to be ‘rubber stamped’ buy the electoral commission within the next two or three weeks.

Mr Flitcroft said the group was still in the ‘forming’ stage but was heartened by the enthusiasm for the new project shown by people of all ages.

He said: “People are very passionate. The spread of people and the age range from young adults through to senior people in the town has amazed us.

“I’m 55 and remember the reorganisation of local authorities in 1974, but there are quite a few younger people who give us a real boost of encouragement.

“People are offering support and whatever they can do, so there is definitely some momentum there, but there are some steps we need to go through, legally, before we can push on with some aspects.” Mr Flitcroft said the party hoped to field candidates in the next round of local elections, to ‘apply political pressure’ on Labour and the other major parties.

He said: “It’s about the balance of power and about giving us a voice.”

Mr Flitcroft also said other parts of the borough could follow the lead set by Farnworth and Kearsley.