THE AB and D Centre in Bacup was thrown a lifeline after the council put forward proposals for the centre to stay open.

The Aged, Blind and Deaf Centre, Burnley Road, was set to close as part of Rossendale Council's plans save £400,000.

Now the future looks rosy for the centre, which is to stay open for the next 15 months - at least until the user groups can create a trust fund to operate the building.

Council leader Graham Pearson said: "We have reassessed the situation and the duty officer has been redeployed and the number of hours the cleaner works have been reduced, which will help cut costs.

"The user groups will fund the running costs for the building and the council will fund the shortfall. We also need to consider other implications such as the cost of insurance and come up with some conclusion but at the moment things are looking up for the centre."

The closures were initially brought about to help finance the corporate recovery plan required by the Audit Commission report which branded the council the 'worst in the country'.

The recovery plan has led to extra costs, to include improving housing benefits, training for members and officers, improvements in health and safety and communications, and this will have to be financed by reducing expenditure elsewhere.