HYNDBURN Council will launch a comprehensive review of its area councils -- but it remains committed to the system.

The precise workings of the review, to be carried out later this year, have yet to be finalised but it will look at issues such as funding.

Questions were raised at a cabinet meeting about the fairness of not allocating funds on the basis of per head of population.

An extra £61,200 was given to area councils in this year's budget with each area council receiving at least £9,000.

The only reduction was Accrington, which the council said received substantial external investment.

Accrington will get £20,000, a reduction of £6,000, Baxenden £9,000, Church £9,000, Clayton-le-Moors with Altham £10,440, Great Harwood £12,510, Oswaldtwistle £17,910 and Rishton £9,000.

Huncoat Area Council will get nearly £30,000 to spend after it was announced that the £20,457 left over from last year's budget will be carried forward.

Coun Pamela Barton, cabinet member for resources outlined the budget allocation for each area council and pledged the council's future support for them.

She said: "We remain committed to area councils and they will get an extra £60,000 this year, that's a minimum of £9,000 each."

Coun Peter Britcliffe, leader of the Conservative group, said: "At the moment the areas that shout the loudest get the most money and this is not fair."