COUNCIL bosses have announced the start of work on a new blueprint which will help shape the future of the borough.

Five years ago, the borough produced the pioneering State of the Borough report which highlighted poverty and ill health in Runcorn and Widnes.

The findings of the report have shaped the council's priorities for improvement ever since and led to vast decreases in the death rate from cancer and heart disease.

Now the local authority aims to produce a new community strategy to be produced by December.

Last week councillors, officers and staff from the voluntary sector and local businesses attended a seminar at the Halton Stadium to hear how the report will be drawn up.

The findings of research by consultant group Local Futures were presented and the eventual report will help decide how the council spends Neighbourhood Renewal Fund money from the Government.

Halton will see £6.7m spent on the areas in most need of improvement over the next 12 months.

The report highlights several areas where the borough needs to make improvements.

Factors, including businesses, economic performance, prosperity, deprivation, health and crime were marked from A to E by researchers.

The research has highlighted a need for more skills and qualifications among Halton's workforce.

Prosperity in Runcorn and Widnes was marked D and deprivation and health had the lowest rating of E.

However, housing affordability, industrial structure and transport and communications all received good ratings.

John Swain, chairman of the Halton Strategic Partnership - which is co-ordinating the drawing up of the updated State of the Borough report - said the research illustrated that there was still a great deal of work to be done to improve the quality of life in the borough.

But he added: 'The findings fit in with what we already broadly knew. However, it is important that we realise how much things have improved over the last five years.

'Things like improving the skills of our workforce and improving health and deprivation cannot be carried out overnight. But we have made great strides in those areas and it is these improvements we are determined to continue making. We are in this for the long haul.'

Borough council chief executive David Parr said: 'Many of the problems we face are as a result of the industrial heritage which made Halton great.

'However, we are trying to reinvent Halton so it is strong and robust and can take its place at the centre of a modern economy.'