LANCASHIRE County Council leader Geoff Driver has defended cuts in grant schemes to voluntary and charitable groups.

Labour’s finance spokeswoman Erica Lews has said the closing of three funds by the Conservatives totalling £1.05million to applications from the ‘Third Sector’ was ‘a real blow’.

She added: “At a time at which many community organisations are seeing demand for their services rise these cuts will reduce capacity.”

Cllr Driver said: “In an ideal world we wouldn’t need to make difficult decisions such as these, as community groups do important work for local people.

“We are not the only organisation which funds community organisations in Lancashire. But the county council is facing a significant financial challenge and we are therefore having to take tough decisions about how we provide our essential services.

“Unlike the previous Labour Administration, we are determined to ensure that the county council has a viable financial situation, so that we can provide certainty to those people who rely on our services. I look forward to seeing the alternative’s that the Labour Group propose.”

The three schemes closed by the county council’s cabinet were The Central Gateway Fund (£673,000); the Local Initiative Fund (£127,000 ); and the Local Member Grants scheme (£252,000).