COUNTY council chiefs have been branded a "disgrace" after pressing ahead with cuts to an information centre, despite a cash windfall from the Government.

Coun Mary Robinson, who represents Primrose ward on Ribble Valley Council, slamm-ed Lancashire County Council over the proposed closure of Clitheroe Tourist Information Centre (TIC), Market Place.

The county council intends to push ahead with the closure of the TIC to save less than £50,000, despite getting an extra £22million in its annual funding.

It was announced in November 2005 that the TIC would close but, as yet, no date has been set regarding when it will finally close its doors.

Coun Robinson said: "County regards Ribble Valley as wealthy, yet we suffer so much in terms of the money we get from them.

"They might have had an increase in the budget, but none of it is coming to this area.

"We want to promote tourism in Ribble Valley and have so much accommodation, yet they take this service away from us. It's a disgrace."

However, the county council said information services were available in other areas in the town.

A county council spokesman said: "Services provided by the county council at Clitheroe TIC can be offered through the network of information prov-iders that exist in Clitheroe and Ribble Valley district.

"Clitheroe, for example, has a large library opposite the current TIC, from which a range of information on services, including tourist and transport information and local groups, is available and easily accessible to the public.

"We are moving towards libraries becoming information gateways where the community can access information about all local services.

"As part of the cabinet's recent budget proposals, £1.5million has been earmarked to support the regeneration of libraries."

The £1.5million allocation will be voted on at the next meeting of the full county council in Preston on February 14.

Clitheroe will then discover whether it is one of the lucky libraries.

Ribble Valley Council said it was waiting on a decision from county on the future location of the TIC.