COMMUNITIES are fighting for their ‘fair share’ of thousands in funding, previously directed straight to the most deprived areas of Bolton.

Residents in Astley Bridge could feel the benefit of an extra £10,000 in funding as council cash handouts for the year ahead are reconsidered.

Leaders in Astley Bridge are backing a move to split a £300,000 pot of money equally between wards in the borough, giving £15,000 for each area.

Councillors John Walsh and Paul Wild voiced their support for the change at an area forum last week, comparing the amount of funding Astley Bridge would receive to the likes of other wards if the system remained the same.

Astley Bridge would received just £5,000 of the pot, said the councillor, where neighbouring Crompton would be given £27,000, along with £33,500 for Farnworth, £30,500 for Great Lever and £32,000 for Halliwell.

Cllr John Walsh said: “We think fair funding is right, it needs to be much more equal than that which has been allowed in the past.”

The forum discussion comes after the new Conservative council proposed redistributing all the money at a flat rate so that every ward receives £15,000 each, as opposed to allocating 75 per cent of the total according to deprivation statistics.

The issue was debated at length at a cabinet meeting earlier this month.

Executive cabinet member for communities Cllr Nadim Muslim said the proposal is a “step in the right direction” towards introducing a fairer and more transparent way of funding in Bolton Council.

He said: “Acknowledging that previous funding through various pots had been using methodology that favoured certain areas, this new system will ensure that all wards are treated equally.”

But councillors voiced concerns that the most deprived areas would lose out on money desperately needed.

Cllr Nick Peel told the cabinet that these pots of cash were always there to tackle deprivation and issues surrounding that.

Farnworth councillor Paul Sanders’ ward is set to lose £18,548 from the proposal, he told the cabinet that he and his colleagues already had plans to spend the money on a youth club, a food bank and the Farnworth town centre Christmas event.

He said: “We are deeply disappointed that we may, in effect, be marked down because of other areas in the borough potentially not doing as expected with the monies.”

The changes have been put on hold until a scrutiny committee looks at the proposal and makes a recommendation.