ALMOST £250,000 worth of cuts in Blackburn Council's community and leisure budget were discussed in secret after the ruling Labour group refused to debate plans in public.

Conservatives said they were willing to put their budget proposals in public during the community and leisure services committee.

But Labour pushed through a vote to exclude the press and public.

Community and leisure director Eddie Runswick told members some of the proposals identified individual members of staff, and he was satisfied it was legal to exclude the press and public. But Tory leader Coun Don Heatlie-Jackson said it was "totally wrong" to have the debate in private, claiming those affected already knew the situation. Council leader Coun Malcolm Doherty claimed his group had discussed its proposals with trade unions but Conservatives had not, which meant they should not be talking in public at that stage.

The community and leisure committee has been instructed to find £234,000 savings as part of the council's bid to cut £968,500 from this year's budget to keep the borough below capping level.

The proposals will eventually have to be made public when the final budget is discussed.

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