RESIDENTS, businesses and community groups in Rossendale are being given their say on the council's spending priorities from April.

Rossendale Council has launched a consultation on its spending options before the budget is set.

The budget proposals and options are set out in a consultation document.

This sets out the cost to the council of maintaining current levels of service as well as areas where the council might spend more or less money.

The options being considered include investment in leisure facilities and the Rossendale Pride initiatives, improvements to waste collection and reducing the increase in council tax for 2010/11 to below three per cent.

The council's corporate plan sets out other key actions such as making it easier for disabled people to visit parks and cemeteries, making it easier to vote through well placed polling stations, supporting the redevelopment of the Valley Centre and continuing to lobby for a new bus terminal in Rawtenstall.

Some councillors, however, have accused the council of withholding funds with previous budgets.

Coun Alyson Barnes, leader of the Labour group, said: "In essence the budget doesn't look too bad.

"The council are not in a terrible position anyway because the controlling group have been hoarding money for years so it has more to play with than any other boroughs.

"The possibility of no pay rise for public sector staff does worry me.”

Lib Dem Coun Jim Pilling said: "We would put more money into promoting tourism in the Valley.

"They are just giving lip service to tourism at the moment and they are missing a trick, it could be a major economic driver for Rossendale.

“We would certainly re-instate the tourism centre as a matter of urgency.”

Residents can view the budget document at www.rossendale.gov.uk or by writing to Budget Consultation, Rossendale Borough Council, Business Centre, Futures Park, Bacup, OL13 OBB.

The consultation ends on Friday. Councillors will meet to discuss residents' feedback on February 25.