A women's group is facing the axe after losing out for the second year running in its bid for council cash.

Keighley Women's Centre is one of 57 groups across the district to learn they will not get grants due to a lack of money in Bradford Council's voluntary sector pot.

Joining the losers in Keighley are Keighley Kiddicare, Keighley Community Nursery and Keighley Asian Youth Association. All have a chance to appeal.

Keighley Women's Centre in Skipton Road, is now existing on borrowed time - by March next year it will have run out of cash.

Project co-ordinator, Jean O'Keeffe, who had bid for £38,500, said: "This is a terrible blow. We were relying on a grant from the Council to meet staffing costs. The appeals process will be yet another cliff-hanger for needy organisations.

"When it comes to March 31 next year there will be no funds left for salaries and, unless we can find another way to raise the money, we will have to think about closing down."

The centre, established 16 years ago, offers help, advice and information to about 250 women each month. It employs three part-time staff.

Keighley Community Nursery had applied for £15,428 to expand its service by employing two extra staff for community-based services.

Lillian Miller, nursery manager, said: "We are disappointed but it shouldn't stop us trying again."

The organisation, which caters for the children of low income families already receives £60,000 from Keighley Single Regeneration Budget board.

Keighley Kiddicare had planned to expand it nursery unit which for the past three years has received £20,000 from the national lottery.

Co-ordinator Bryan Walkeden said if a new source was not found by the end of March next year, three nursery jobs could be lost. "It is disappointing. We will look elsewhere and have already applied to the national lottery. We will be applying to BBC's Children in Need which has supported us in the past."

Councillor Ralph Berry, chairman of the community development committee, said many new organisations had been competing for the cash. He added £200,000 had been held back for those groups who successfully appealed. "We had greater pressure on the budget this year than last year."

It is the second year Bradford Council has used a controversial points system to award grants to needy groups. But the system was simplified for smaller groups because of the outcry when it was first introduced.

Groups applying for cash are required to give details of their constitution finances and are asked for performance indicators. Points are awarded for fundraising activities, existing partnerships and links with the Council, links with other voluntary groups and whether the service is district-wide.

Council officers match details of each scheme against priorities in its community plan.

Joy and anger over cuts

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