A LIBERAL Democrat councillor has stepped down from his position on a charity board after claiming he was unhappy at the way it was run.

Coun Allan Knox, Liberal Democrat leader on Ribble Valley Council, resigned from the board at the Trinity Community Partnership, a Clitheroe-based charity that provides help to disadvantaged youngsters and disabled people.

Coun Knox was a representative on the board for Clitheroe Town Council but said he was concerned over the direction in which the charity was moving.

He said: "I resigned because my main concern was that there were splits within the board due to increasing financial pressure.

"I feared a lot of problems were due to having no long-term business plan as to where they wanted to be in five or 10 years time.

"I can understand some secrecy regarding commercially sensitive issues discussed at board meetings but I was appointed as a representative of Clitheroe Town Council and one of my tasks was to report back to them." Earlier this year, Trinity Community Partnership were involved in talks over the potential purchase of Saint Mary's Centre, Church Street, Clitheroe, a deal that eventually fell through due to lack of funding.

The charity is also involved with the delivery of Ribble Valley Council's sustainable community strategy, which is aimed at improving residents' quality of life, a task Coun Knox said was a step too far from its original responsibilities. It also has links to Hyndburn Council.

He added: "I had to decide whether I wanted to stay on with my hands tied behind my back or walk away.

"I decided it was best to step down."

Trinity Community Partnership declined to comment.