PACKS of Brownies, Guides, Cubs and Scouts face an uncertain future if the county council stops paying subsidies for out-of-hours use of schools.

LCC plans to slash subsidies from £430,000 to nothing in the next financial year.

And this means groups which meet in schools in the evenings will have to pay for room hire, lighting, heating and caretakers' overtime.

Although many clubs contribute to the school's overheads, if subsidies are wiped out completely. Privately, some smaller groups have said they could be forced to close.

Phil Percival, headteacher of Preston's Harris Primary School, said: "I am aware of the proposals. We will charge the Brownies just enough to cover our costs. We are not out to make a profit from them."

Brown Owl Jackie Fegan who runs the First Broughton Brownies group which meets at the Harris School, said: "I think a lot of people are going to be put out by it. Some packs don't have as many girls as we do and they might find it hard to make ends meet.

"It depends on how much they charge which will vary between individual schools and headmasters."

A spokeswoman from County Hall said: "Letters have gone out warning people it's likely that the subsidies currently allowed on use of schools out-of-hours will be cut in the next budget. It will mean that groups will have to pay the full charge as set by the school budgets."

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