EAST Lancashire’s councils are facing crippling budget cuts - while affluent parts of the South East escape almost unscathed.

Unions said it was ‘outrageous’ that some of the most deprived parts of the country were having their funding cut by 10 times the amount of the wealthiest.

The information is revealed in a new analysis by SIGOMA, a group representing councils outside London.

It said Blackburn with Darwen, Hyndburn, Pendle and Burnley councils were all among the very worst affected, facing cuts of up to 18per cent next year alone.

They are also among the poorest boroughs, according to the Government’s index of deprivation.

Meanwhile, wealthy Richmond in the South East is expected to have its budget cut by just 1.9per cent.

SIGOMA said that of the 20 councils set to fare best from the cuts, all but two were in the 10per cent most affluent areas.

But all two of the 20 worst hit were in the 20per cent most deprived areas.

The disparity is the result of specific grants, that were aimed at the poorest areas, being stopped.

Councils in these deprived areas are being doubly hit because they are left with staff who used to be employed by the ‘area-based grants’ - another pressure on the budgets.

Areas with low-quality housing are also more dependent on Government grants because they cannot raise as much money through council tax as wealthy regions which have plenty of Band G and H houses.

Kate Hollern, the Labour leader of Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council, said: “We all recognise that cuts have to be made in some form, but why should the poorer areas be hit hardest and the wealthy areas be feeling like they have won the lottery?"

East Lancashire Unison rep Gareth Roscoe added: “It is outrageous.

"I can’t make my mind up how much is cock-up and how much is conspiracy.”

The Government said it was ‘pure speculation’ to comment ahead of next month’s grant settlement for councils.