A DISABLED training group has sparked a £23,000 CCTV row after revealing Hyndburn Council had known for years that its funding was coming to an end.

Councillor Ian Ormerod, leader of Hyndburn Borough Council, said the first he knew of the deficit in funding for the scheme was at an Accrington Centre Regeneration Assembly meeting last week.

He said the Conservative party that was in power until May should have made allowances in advance.

But former leader Councillor Peter Britcliffe, said money was provided in the 2002/2003 town centre regeneration board budget for this year's funding. And he said that the additional costs in question would come out of the 2003/2004 budget to be set up by the Labour group.

Remploy, an organisation that helps employers to recruit and train disabled people, assisted the council in finding six disabled employees to operate the CCTV system that was set up in Accrington and the rest of Hyndburn in 1995.

The assembly meeting was told Remploy had withdrawn funding, creating the shortfall.

But a Remploy spokesperson today said the organisation had agreed with the council to maintain its funding support for this financial year but that the council would take on the full employment responsibilities from April 1 2003.

She said: "The six disabled employees presently working for the council in the CCTV operation are fulfilling the role and no longer require Remploy support.

"It is misleading to say Remploy has withdrawn funding. Remploy has enabled the council to employ disabled people, thereby gaining invaluable employees who have been fully trained and developed into their role without cost to the council."

The council currently contributes more than 60 per cent of the cost for the system and is now looking to secure sponsorship towards the remaining running costs from town centre businesses and Lancashire Constabulary, so that the system can be retained.

Coun Ormerod said: "The briefing for the regeneration meeting was the first I knew about this. The Conservative party should have made allowances for it."

Coun Britcliffe said: "We agreed we would provide funding from the town centre regeneration board to support this system for 12 months and the money was there. But the change -- which brings about the shortfall -- comes into effect in the next financial year, which is a different budget."

The Hyndburn CCTV system was launched in December, 1995, and has had considerable success in reducing crime and disorder in Accrington town centre and other towns in the borough.

No one from the Accrington Centre Regeneration Assembly was available to comment.