A ROW has broken out after Rossendale Council announced radical plans which could strip Whitworth Town Council of its responsibilities.

Since local government was reorganised in 1974 Whitworth, formerly an urban district council, has been in the unusual position of running its own swimming pool, cemetery and civic hall, paid for by a contribution from Rossendale Council, a precept from ratepayers and income from the facilities.

But at a special meeting last night, the policy and resources committee decided to investigate whether Rossendale can run the services more cheaply, leaving Whitworth councillors with responsibility only for mayoralty and twinning connections. Whitworth's council leader and Mayor Coun Eileen Kershaw, said she thought Rossendale Council had agreed to provide £300,000 to run the services and they were attending the meeting to fight for the additional £30,000 the town council had requested.

But instead, she found Rossendale Council leader Coun John McManus calling for the contribution to be reduced below £300,000. Coun Kershaw said: "It is Rossendale's responsibility to maintain the fabric of the buildings, the pool, the civic hall and the buildings in the cemetery, but they have not been doing it and now they think they can run the services as well.

"Where are they going to find the money to carry out the work that needs to be done?

"I am appalled at the way they have treated us. I am worried we will be left with nothing."

After the meeting, Coun McManus said: "When we looked at the figures we found the amount needed to run the services was £274,000.

"We decided to allow for inflation and agreed a figure of £295,000.

"They have already had a refund on rates of £8,000, which together with the £5,000 difference from the estimated expenditure and other savings over the next two years will allow us to create a children's playground next to the civic hall."

Coun McManus said Whitworth was also going to be asked to produce information on the income it receives from its facilities to the leisure and recreation committee.

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