COMMUNITY groups have urged people to speak out against budget plans they fear could lead to much-loved organisations folding.

Part of Bradford Council's proposed 2016/17 budget calls for the removal, or major reduction of, rent subsidies provided to tenants of council-owned community facilities, which would save around £300,000.

Some of the groups that use these facilities say increased rent bills may mean they find it impossible to continue, and want as many people as possible to voice their opposition to the plans before the budget consultation ends later this month.

The South Square Centre, based in a Grade II listed building in Thornton, is home to small businesses, an art gallery that has 30 exhibitions a year, artists and groups like the Thornton Antiquarian Society.

The group has run the centre since the early 1980s, pays a small amount of rent to the council, and maintains the 200-year-old building. Under the new budget proposals, this rent could rise to almost £26,000 a year.

Yvonne Carmichael, Artistic Programme Manager, said the centre cost around £25,000 a year to maintain, and this was only just covered with income from tenants. An extra £26,000 could force the centre to close.

She said: "If this increase comes in, they I think the building will end up empty. We're doing the council's job for them in a way, as we provide a community centre for Thornton. Forcing us to pay more rent and risk the centre closing down doesn't make much sense."

The group has written to the council to raise concerns about the plans.

Another of the centres that will be affected is the Kirkgate Centre in Shipley. The charity pays just £1,000 a year in rent to the council, and is home to scores of different groups.

The budget plans would see this rent rise to around £20,000 a year.

The Shipley Film Society, which shows classic movies at the venue, said in a statement: "We understand the council's difficult financial position, but like most community groups, we barely break even and rely entirely on a small group of committed volunteers. We work really hard for our community and are just one of many groups that do so within the Kirkgate Centre."

Shipley councillor Martin Love said he and his fellow ward councillors had received a huge amount of feedback from worried groups, and that the party would oppose the budget if it includes the reduction of rent subsidies.

He added: "If the centre has to pay more rent they will have to pass this cost on to the centre's users. People need to make sure they have their say in the public consultation and show the council there is a strong sense of feeling against this."

Bradford Council says it needs to shave £27.4m from its budget in the next year due to government funding cuts.

Council leader David Green said: "The consultation runs until the full Council meeting on February 25 and I urge anyone who hasn't already done so to have their say.

"We have a track record of listening and where possible responding to people's concerns, although the reality is that if we scale back or reject certain cuts, the money still has to be found from somewhere else."