COMMUNITY projects in West Craven could have their funding slashed because of Barnoldswick Town Council's decision to pull out of a flagship development.

West Craven Together (WCT), the body formed to breathe new life into the area, has decided to cut £50,000 of funding it had earmarked for community groups to meet a shortfall on the £775,000 Rainhall Road School Community and Enterprise Centre.

The announcement was made on the same day Lancashire County Council's economic development company, Lancashire County Developments Ltd, pledged £82,000 to the scheme which would offer training opportunities and space for small businesses.

And last week Pendle Council agreed to give £100,000 provided the rest of the cash was in place.

However, WCT board member and town councillor David Whipp said the project was still in jeopardy because regeneration body the North West Development Agency (NWDA) had not yet made a decision to give £360,000 to the initiative.

He said: "The LCDL funding is very welcome. They have confidence in the site and that it will contribute to creating jobs and it will be sustainable in the long term.

"The continued absence of NWDA funding makes me unsure even though there has been positive signals from them saying they would get it through quickly.

"I think it is still on a knife edge."

NWDA was to contribute £310,000, but following the town council's decision to stay at its Fernlea Avenue base and not give £48,000, WCT had to apply to re-direct the shortfall from part of the £1million it was given by the body to regenerate West Craven.

But it wants to find the shortfall from money allocated to a tourism and events fund. If that loses £50,000, schemes such as the community chest, which last year helped pay for exercise classes for people with learning difficulties and Barnoldswick's French markets could be affected.

Coun Whipp said: "There are still lots of hurdles to get over .

"If it is the worst case scenario the project could collapse and at best other schemes are going to suffer.

"We have been working on this since the school closed five years ago and we don't really have a plan B.

"If we are not able to start soon the whole financial package could tumble like a pack of cards. "