BURNLEY's Blues Festival and Reach community event could be axed as part of council plans to save £1million.

Other cuts could include withdrawing facilities for the over 50s, shutting down the council's community buildings, staff cuts and increases in charges.

The list of potential cuts - taken from a private report - has been put together to try and address the serious budget problems facing Burnley council. The £1.3m saving is more than five per cent of what the council spends each year on services.

The issue has arisen because of financial pressure on the authority stemming from increased costs, a freeze on government grants over the last 10 years and increased statutory pay-outs from the council, like subsidised bus fares.

Council bosses have stressed that any areas identified as possible savings are just suggestions and that nothing definite has been decided.

The Revenue Budget Strategy report, circulated to councillors, outlines the events or schemes which could be axed, or charges that could be increased, and the savings which would be achieved:

Burnley Blues Festival £25,000

Community festival £20,000

Over 50s schemes £87,000

Community buildings £80,000

Arts at Padiham town hall £33,000

Increasing burial and cremation charges £20,000

Charging for removal of bulky waste £90,000

Some of the suggestions will cause huge controversy. Burnley's community festival, for example, was set up in the wake of the riots of 2001 to try and encourage different cultures to mix. It has proved a huge success over the two years it has been running.

The Blues Festival has also proved one of the town's most successful events over its 16 years.

Kirk Worley, manager of the Mechanics Theatre, where some of the Blues Festival events are held, said: "I can assure people the festival will happen next year and we are planning for many years after that. Like any event, if it were to go, it would be a big blow."