THE former chairman of a racial equality council today launched a scathing attack on the decision to scrap it, saying: "The summer disturbances would not have happened if we were still working".

The last man in charge of Burnley and Pendle Racial Equality Council hit out after the publication of the Task Force report into the troubles.

His comments came after chairman of the Task Force, Lord Tony Clarke, said the decision to withdraw funding for the Racial Equality Council four years ago may have been "detrimental to race relations in Burnley".

Former REC chairman Dr Qazi Jehangir today accused local politicians of "obstinate stupidity and down-right hot-headedness."

In April 1997 the Commission for Racial Equality, Lancashire County Council, Burnley Council took the decision to withdraw funding of the REC amid allegations that some member organisations were bogus and there had been vote rigging at elections.

That decision was followed by Pendle Council also withdrawing funding.

Dr Jehangir, a GP at Nelson Health Centre, said: "They were responsible for closing down something which was sacred. For the 20 years that we had the REC there was not a riot in this area.

"If there were any problems in this area I would go out and I would talk to the lads in the street and they would listen to me. We were an elected institution and so we had power in the local community and because we were elected we were respected.

"I think it is disgraceful that they have not got a government funded institution now to further the cause of racial harmony."

The task force report said: "Support for race relations work has reduced in recent years from two full-time posts, supporting the now disbanded REC, to the offer of one full-time post for a successor organisation, to part-time support to develop proposals for succession, with a decision made in August to do nothing at all.

"In the context of the recent racial disturbances these decisions have been detrimental to race relations in Burnley."

The task force recommended that the Commission for Racial Equality should reconsider its decision to withdraw resources for race relations work in the borough.

Dr Jehangir added: "The council saved £34,000 in withdrawing funding from the REC and look at the riots and the mayhem that resulted, which has cost millions of pounds in damaged houses and buildings. It is disproportionate and unbelievable what they do."

But Burnley Council leader Coun Stuart Caddy today stood by the decision. He said: "There were a lot of problems within the communities with regard to racial equality and we were looking to see if we could afford to keep on funding this area and after long protracted discussions it was decided to commission a report into it to decide what the community needs were.

"That took a long time and so we have set up with the East Lancashire Development Unit a temporary worker for six months to complete the report.

"We as an organisation decided to stop funding the REC but to carry on with the work, there was nothing at all for a while, but the fact there was nothing I don't think contributed to what happened."