COUNCIL bosses have stepped in with a £25,000 grant after an East Lancashire domestic abuse organisation was left facing an uncertain future.

The STAR Centre in Rossendale missed out when their bid, as part of the Safer Together Consortium, was overlooked in favour of Victim Support for a £6.6million contract for victims services.

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This decision is said to have placed STAR’s immediate future in jeopardy, until Rossendale Council stepped in with an offer of assistance to keep them going until next March.

It is hoped the award will enable centre supporters to draw up a new business plan and seeking financial backing from other providers.

Cllr Alyson Barnes, council leader, said: “We are happy to support The STAR Centre in this interim period both financially and with business advice.

“We want to help assist STAR, making sure that a domestic abuse support service is in Rossendale whilst the changeover happens between the current and new contracts.

“And we hope to support STAR to securing finances so that they keep going independently.”

The new Lancashire Victims Service will come into play at the start of next April.

Debra Molyneaux, the centre’s manager, said: “We are grateful that the council has been able to support us so that our quality service continues.

“We will be working to best practice standards with the council on our business strategy moving forward and applying for funding to secure our long term future.”

Cllr Annie McMahon, whose cabinet portfolio covers domestic abuse services, said: “I have been involved with supporting The STAR Centre and shall do up to end of March and in my role.

“I will continue to be involved with providers of domestic abuse services for Rossendale as this is an important service for our area.

“The STAR Centre provides an important role in domestic support provision and has done so for the last 20 years in Rossendale. We hope that STAR secure future funding so that Rossendale can benefit from this service.”

The charity has been successful in securing major funding before, after obtaining £500,000 from the Big Lottery Fund in 2011.