A hugely controversial points system for giving grants to the district's voluntary groups is expected to be changed - because it is too complicated.

Dozens of organisations have missed out because of the system brought in by Bradford Council two years ago - and now the council is set to review the whole system.

The applicants have told the Council the complex forms they have to fill in are like taking an exam and there are serious inconsistencies.

Today one group which says it faces closure because of a Council blunder welcomed the review which will be carried out by the Council's Executive.

Asian Disability Awareness Action - an advice service - was mistakenly told it would get a £10,000 grant in November after a Council worker wrote "eligible" rather than "ineligible".

The group moved to offices in the Carlisle Business Centre in Manning-ham on the strength of the funding it believed it had won.

Scheme co-ordinator Barry Malik said his group was a "prime example" of what was going wrong.

He added: "This is the only service of its type in the district and it is the responsibility of the Council to ensure there are adequate facilities."

Bradford Community Arts - which provides services including training for unemployed people - was also mistakenly told it had received a £11,000 grant and says it is in serious difficulties.

Under the existing system, services provided by applicants are measured by Council officers against agreed criteria.

The organisations must give business plans and demonstrate their services are not duplicating existing schemes.

The points application system for groups led to petitions signed by thousands of people and a demonstration in Centenary Square when it was brought in two years ago.

Scores of organisations, which had in the past automatically received funding because they always received them, faced closure because they failed to meet new criteria.

Because of the problems, the system was simplified this year but it still sparked protests from groups which failed.

The Council has pointed out that despite the problems, it is still giving out about £6 million, and hundreds of groups benefit.

Councillor Ralph Berry, member of the Council's Executive for Building Communities, said: "I am perfectly prepared to hear suggestions and criticism as long as they are relevant and constructive ."

He added that the review would be slanted towards getting more external funding for groups.

Councillor Ghazanfer Khaliq (Lab, Thornton) who pressed for funds for the Asian disability advice service said: "I am extremely disappointed for them, and how they are going to survive for the next 12 months, I do not know."

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