A Great Harwood councillor has criticised Lancashire County Council (LCC), after a former youth centre in the town was put up for auction.
The council has defended its decision to sell the building, which it says had been “a drain on public funds.”
The former Young People’s Centre, which closed in November 2022, is set to be auctioned off later this month.
The Lowerfold Road property will appear in auction house Pugh’s online property auction on February 21 and has been given a guide price of £350,000.
The decision has been met with some opposition from Great Harwood councillors, including Scott Brerton.
He is calling on the council to stop the auction bring the building back into use as a youth centre.
Cllr Brerton said: “Great Harwood's Youth Centre is being sold off by Conservative controlled Lancashire County Council.
“At a time when we should be investing in our young people and giving them safe spaces to meet and enjoy a wide range of positive activities, the Tories at LCC see fit to sell it on to anyone with enough cash to do what they want with.
“Profit over people, they don't care.
“Myself and [other] Labour councillors are all against this decision and call on the council stop this auction and bring the building back into use as a youth centre.”
Mr Brerton said the centre should be “a hub” for young people and thinks auctioning the property off is “unacceptable”.
He said: “Myself and other Great Harwood Labour councillors are strongly opposed to the sale of the youth centre in the town and call on Conservative-led Lancashire County Council to stop the sale and instead explore other options to open it up once again to serve the youth of Great Harwood and the wider Hyndburn area.
“There is very little to do for young people in the town and this centre should be a hub for them, a safe space where they can meet their friends and take part in a wide range of activities and projects.
"It should also be somewhere they can get advice and information on any issues that affect them.
“It feels like the Tories are asset-stripping the town, with the Conservative coalition at Hyndburn Borough Council closing our swimming pool and now Lancashire County Council selling off our youth centre. It’s simply not acceptable.”
County Councillor Alan Vincent, Cabinet Member for Resources, HR and Property at Lancashire County Council, said: "Great Harwood Young People's Centre has not been used to deliver services for a number of years and has only recently been used in a limited capacity.
"This has been a drain on public funds so subsequently, a decision was taken by our cabinet in November 2022 to permanently close, declare surplus and dispose of the building.
"The building is currently vacant and steps are now being taken to implement the decision as a priority.
"Successfully doing this will enable the council to direct and invest resource into services and infrastructure that will directly benefit residents.
“Retaining seriously under used buildings costs a great deal of money that can be put to good use in keeping council tax down, and protecting front line services."
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