BURNLEY Borough Council could slash £70,000 worth of funding from voluntary organisations as part of a three-year cost-cutting programme.

The news comes after the authority ordered a major review into the way it works with the sector.

And part of the new approach would involve a newly-integrated advice service in Lower St James's Street, Burnley, which would encompass the former Canalside Advice Centre and Burnley Community Advice Centre.

The move would also involve the gradual withdrawal of grants from the majority of voluntary organisations over a three-year period, reducing assistance each year by a third. The council will also make the voluntary sector co-originator post, which is currently vacant, redundant.

The move would leave a number of voluntary groups looking for alternative sources of funding, including the Bangladesh Welfare Association, Burnley Play Association, Burnley and Pendle Multi-Racial Playbus, Women's Refuge, Freshfields, Jinnah, which provides education to people living in inner areas of multi-racial towns, Relate and Victim Support.

But according to the council's leader the move is a step in the right direction

Coun Stuart Caddy, said: "The council has not taken the decision to reduce grant assistance lightly. The council's overall financial position has meant difficult decisions have to be made.

"The process, attached to the gradual withdrawal of direct financial support was felt to be the most appropriate way of assisting the sector with change.

"We have consulted with all grant recipients individually and their comments have been thoroughly considered through our budget process."

Carol Hopkins, Play leader at Burnley and Pendle's Playbus, is planning to speak at the town's executive meeting tonight.

She said: "It's going to be detrimental to us. It will be the Burnley children who lose out in the long run because if there was funding available in Pendle then we would be forced to provide our services there to keep in existence.

"I am going to fight our corner at the meeting but I doubt it will do much good because minds have already been made up."

And Daisy Choudhury, Bangladesh Welfare Association, manager, said: "I work 30 hours a week but have double that mount of work to do each week.

"They can't afford to cut my wages. "We provide a vital service for lone parents, the elderly and widows in the community who can't speak English.

"It's not me that will be losing out it will be the people of the community which will be very sad.

"I don't know what's going to happen but it's not looking good."