BURNLEY Council's concerns over lottery cash bids by private groups have been dismissed by National Heritage minister Iain Sproat.

Councillors were angry that a major application for a new community centre in Daneshouse ward, made by the Asian Community Forum group, was proceeding without any consultation with the council.

Some members argued the area already had a new community centre and other meeting places and there was no need for a further facility and the Department should have sought guidance from the council.

They asked Burnley MP Peter Pike to take up the issue with National Heritage chiefs in overall charge of lottery cash schemes.

In his response to the MP, Mr Sproat says local authorities have an important part to play in the national lottery, not only in providing partnership funding, but in encouraging applications in their area and providing advice, where appropriate, on applications to distributing bodies.

But the minister adds: "It is important, however, that local authorities should not prevent or discourage any applications and that applicants should be able to apply for lottery funding without reference to their local authority if they wish."

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