A NEIGHBOURHOOD board member has been urged to quit following his claim that the scheme is ‘not working’.

Sunnyhurst councillor Dave Hollings, who joined the Darwen and Rural Neighbourhood Board when it was set up in November last year, said that money spent on the five boards across the borough had not resulted in a ‘noticeable difference’ to the comm-unity.

He said: “If you went and asked people in the street whether their lives or their area has improved as a result of hundreds of thous-ands of pounds being spent, they would say no. The coalition said it was a way of making the council more accountable and more in touch with residents, but it hasn’t.

“It isn’t a clear and trans-parent way of spending public money. The Darwen board are appealing for a new member at the moment, but what is the application process and what are the priorities?

“It’s not doing what it said on the tin, so therefore it’s failed.

“I’m not having a go at the people on the boards bec-ause I think they are genuine people who want to make a difference, but it is not working.

“When I joined, I didn’t think it would have a noticeable effect, and I’ve been proved right.”

More than £300,000 has been spent by the neigh-bourhood boards across the borough.

They have low-level powers to spend public money on projects to improve the community.

Darwen and Rural Neigh-bourhood Board, which has a budget of £50,000, has supported health initiatives, safety schemes with the local fire station, sports clubs and has drawn up a plan to make the area better.

John Sturgess, chair of the board, described Coun Hollings’s claims as ‘negative’.

He said: “For him to criticise the boards is very unfair as we have only just released our first plan which has taken lots of time, effort and consultation.

“I would suggest that if Coun Hollings is so against the neighbourhood boards then he should resign his position on Darwen and Rural and let somebody who is committed to their success join.”

Coun Hollings said he was not attacking individuals, but how the boards have been administered.