A REGENERATION panel is deciding which community groups will benefit from grants of up to £600.

About £5,000 of the £75,000 regeneration money given to Blackburn with Darwen East Rural ward has been made available for community groups to buy equipment, materials, professional fees, transport costs or volunteer expenses.

A decision on the recipients should be made in the next few weeks.

The rest of the cash will be spent over the next three years on larger projects like traffic calming, open play areas and environmental improvements.

Cash for East Rural ward is part of a government pilot scheme to improve services in rural areas.