FOUR of five leisure facilities set for the axe in Rossendale could be saved, but Rawtestall's popular Astoria Ballroom will still close on New Year's Day.

A meeting of Rossendale Borough Council's corporate policy committee last night revealed that discussions are taking place which could save Whitworth Swimming Baths, Haslingden Public Hall, the Aged, Blind and Disabled Centre, Bacup, and Rossendale Museum in Whitaker Park.

The closures aim to save the council £402,780 and help councillors balance the books after an audit commission review branded them the worst local authority in the country.

Since the money saving plans were revealed the threat of closure has sparked vociferous opposition from Rossendale residents.

At previous council meetings protesters gathered with banners and placards outside the Town Hall in Rawtenstall.

A member of the corporate policy committee, Councillor Alyson Barnes, said: "It would be nice to see some of the services retained, but as a council we are quite clear that we cannot continue to fund the level of facilities that we have.

"Opposition to the closures has been understandable. Some people feel these decisions should have been taken long ago."

Rossendale Museum, Rawtenstall, is the only facility to have some sort of future. The council are preparing a report on a partnership arrangement with Lancashire County Council to run the museum which will mean the funding and management would be transferred to Lancashire County Museums Service.

Chairman of the Friends of Rossendale Museum Tom Fisher welcomed the news that the museum could be saved and said the majority of the people in Rossendale wanted it to stay open.

To support his claim the group handed in to the meeting a petition opposed to the museum closure signed by 9,500 people.

Discussions are taking place with a private company which could provide Whitworth Baths with sources of external funding.

Whitworth councillor Thomas Aldred said: "I know that members of the swimming baths are also looking at ways of forming some sort of cooperative or gaining charitable status.

"Over the years the facility has served people well and obviously it would be a bonus if it remained open."

The council has confirmed it is also looking at alternative sources of funding for Haslingden Public Hall and the AB and D Centre.

The decision to close the leisure facilities was taken as a money saving exercise after the Audit Commission placed the authority at 237 out of 237 and demanded cost cutting measures to be implemented.