A VITAL lifeline for pensioners in Burnley has been given a stay of execution.

Earlier this year Burnley Borough Council unveiled plans to withdraw funding for the Over 50s club at Dryden Street.

But now council bosses have given the club a stay of execution until March while the matter is further investigated.

The plans had been annouced after it was revealed that £50,000 of work needed to be carried out on its premises to make them disabled friendly.

The building was thought to have been council owned, but Town Hall officials later revealed that in fact it belonged to housing company Calico.

Coun Andrew Tatchell, Labour Group Leader on Burnley Council, proposed a compromise solution at a meeting of Burnley Council's Executive Board this week.

Coun Tatchell said: "There have been some discussions with Calico and, although they will not commit themselves, they are making favourable noises."

He said the Over 50s club's management committee had already invested £3,500 of their own funds into the Dryden Street building.

And the councillor described the club as well used and important to senior citizens in the area.

Coun Tatchell suggested postponing a decision on the Dryden Street centre to allow for more talks to take place with Calico.

Coun Roger Frost, Executive Member for Leisure, supported Coun Tatchell's proposal.

He suggested that the council postponed a decision on the Dryden Street club until the end of March next year to allow for further negotiations to take place with Calico.

Councillors on the Executive Board agreed to the change and approved the remaining proposals for the over 50s service.

Council officials had proposed that the over 50s service should become self-supporting in future.

Plans have been drawn up for clubs to manage their own financial affairs and the support of the council's healthy lifestyles manager and an assistant will be withdrawn.

Work will take place to make the over 50s premises in Middlesex Street compliant with the Disability and Discrimination Act over the next five years, and two cooks will continue to provide catering for more than a dozen luncheon and activity clubs across the borough.