AN Accrington residents' group is threatening to disband amid claims its membership is being badly treated by Hyndburn Council.

The secretary of the West Accrington Residents' Association, working to help areas around Blackburn Road, said the group was fed up of being consulted about how money should be spent - then not seeing any cash.

But Hyndburn Council has defended its stance, arguing plenty of money was being spent on the West Accrington ward.

Now the residents' association committee is holding a special meeting to decide whether or not to disband.

Jean Pilkington, of WARA, said: "I joined 10 years ago because of the state of the area and I think it's worse now than it was then. We are considering disbanding because we refuse to be used and abused any longer.

"They're using us for consultation, getting the money and then spending it elsewhere. They haven't spent the price of a pot of paint on Blackburn Road.

Mrs Pilkington says the work-load is becoming unbearable and dwindling numbers of disillusioned residents are attending meetings.

She said: "I think more people would come if they could see some action on the promises being made, but there just isn't any. So when they come to meetings and we tell them what is going to happen they think it's just more empty promises."

A meeting of the association is being held on Thursday, May 13, for residents to hear from Nigel Rix, director of Hyndburn First, at the Accrington Christian Stables on Swiss Street.

Mr Rix said that West Accrington was in the process of benefiting from huge investment, including £1.5million being spent to buy up 50 properties for the regeneration scheme Project Phoenix.

He said: "The level of investment currently pouring into West Accrington is substantial.

"We fully understand the concerns of a lot of people in particular because sources of local government funding are often quite mysterious.

"We are often placed in a bidding process where we need to secure extra funds from external sources and can quite understand that residents are concerned about it."