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.

The criteria used to decide which should close included the level of use, the cost of the facility to the council tax payer, the structural condition and life expectancy of the facility, facilities and possible adaptation for use by people with disabilities and the impact on the community of the loss of a facility.

Former user, David Barrett, who taught dancing at the centre up until September said he wished he had been told of the plans earlier.

He said: "We were told we had to be out by October so we moved next door to the Central Methodist Church but now we are being told it is to stay open. A lot of groups moved out when they were told it was to close so I doubt the centre will not bring those people back.

"It is good news for the people who are still using the centre because it is a good place and it would be a shame to loose it.

"This should have been sorted out before the council announced to close the centre because it could have saved a lot of hassle."