THOUSANDS of pounds for Hyndburn’s most deprived areas could be lost in cuts which are anticipated next spring, it has emerged.

Funding for Neighbourhood Management Boards, which make localised decisions for Clayton-le-Moors, West Accrington and Peel and Barnfield, is now under threat.

Traditionally they have also received national cash to spend on improvements to deprived wards.

However Hyndburn Council is now preparing for a worst-case scenario where funding will cease in March.

It may also have a knock-on effect for Hyndburn Council-funded Area Management Councils in Great Harwood, Baxenden, Rishton, Oswaldtwistle and Huncoat.

Leader of the council Peter Britcliffe said the funding cuts were not a certainty and pledged the borough would find other ways of maintaining the same service for all areas should the axe fall.

Opposition leader Miles Parkinson said it was vital that the ‘extra layer of democracy’ is not lost, but he agreed that the difficult decisions need to be made in how it continues.

Coun Britcliffe said: “Right now we are just antiipating problems and preparing for what we will do should it happen.

Clearly it isn’t fair if some parts of the borough rece-ive this service and others don’t.

"It is important we find ways to keep this very important service going.

"There are other funding sources that can be applied to and ways of saving money.”

Coun Parkinson said: “It is a service which gives residents more say in what happens and every effort should be made to keep that maintained.

"There are difficult decisions to be made and it is right to explore ways of saving”

A report on possible options for funding will go before Overview and Scrtiny councillors on Tuesday, October 12.