PENDLE Council is considering transferring more services to town and parish councils in West Craven.

The transfer of several services, such as taking on responsibility for local events, public toilets and community centres, is already happening in towns like Barnoldswick and Earby.

But last week Pendle Council's Executive considered a report on setting up a programme to transfer services over the next three years.

"The borough council has to cut its budget by £5 million in the next three years," said Barnoldswick councillor David Whipp. "The budget is being halved from the position it was in 2010, so it would be impossible to keep a lot of services going.

“Town and parish councils are already taking on more responsibilities in their areas and there is scope for them to take on more," added Cllr Joe Cooney, leader of Pendle Council. "Some have a real appetite for this.

"It’s time to put this on a firmer footing by working on a programme of possible future transfers over the next two years, helping to avoid increasing Pendle’s council tax.”

Services and facilities for possible transfer in 2015/16 are play areas and multi-use games areas (MUGAs), bus shelters and town centre CCTV.

In 2016/17, services for possible transfer include indoor and outdoor markets, car parks and town centre sweeping.

In the 2017/18, Pendle would like to consider transferring leisure sports facilities, such as the West Craven Sports Centre, parks and recreation grounds and cemeteries.

The report outlines that the transfer of services such as play areas, which are very local in character, would be relatively simple, but services and facilities like car parks and leisure centres would be much more problematic and complex.

Cllr Whipp explained that parish and town councils are new to Pendle in comparison to Craven.

He said: "In Skipton, a lot more services used by local people are run by the town council."

Pendle Council's chief executive Stephen Barnes also explained: “Town and parish councils have the ability to raise their precepts to help pay for the services, while Pendle Council’s scope for increasing the council tax is severely limited.

“We’re planning ahead to manage this well and hope to get a three-year plan under way.”

A meeting to discuss transfer of services was held with representatives of town and parish councils last month and a further meeting will take place on November 24.