A DECISION to scrap a group set up to help the most deprived areasin the borough has been hailed as a “disaster” by councillors.

In its latest budget cuts, Dudley Council has pulled the plug on the funding for the Community Renewal group, set up by the council to help fight deprivation within certain identified areas.

As well as providing a targeted hands-on approach to deprived areas, by organising clean ups and community garden projects and transforming derelict and abandoned spaces across the borough – including the recent makeover of Nelson Road, Edward Street and Alexander Street – the team of officers also work closely with health and youth partners to encourage a better quality of life in the communities.

The group, which employs 11 people, also organises job fairs and training, skills and information events across the borough in a bid to get residents signed up to courses and skills opportunities and help people get back into work.

Councillor Steve Waltho, a member of the Central Dudley Area Committee Community Renewal Working Group, who helps identify communities in the central Dudley area, said: “This is a dreadful decision and it will be a disaster if it goes. The work that the officers do in the wards is phenomenal, they work to develop strong communities and have done so much in such a short time.

“We had no idea that this was going to happen and it came as a complete surprise when we heard the budget was being cut.

“It is probably the best value for money project we have on the council and it runs on a shoestring anyway.”

Councillors have vowed to fight the cutback and plan to raise the issue in the next meeting of Full Council.

At Central Dudley Area Committee, Community Renewal officer Sue Mcgavin confirmed the group would no longer exist from March 31.

Councillor Lesley Faulkner, cabinet member for adult and community services, said: “The council’s priority is to protect essential frontline services such as social care for older and disabled people.

We are therefore reviewing the community renewal function and looking at ways we can deliver the aim of the community renewal team to support local communities through other council services and the voluntary sector.

“Compulsory redundancies will be a last resort as we will look to reduce staffing numbers through a mixture of redeployment into alternative jobs, retirements and voluntary redundancies.”