VULNERABLE groups such as the elderly could be hit hard if cuts to York ward committee budgets are pushed through, a leading councillor claimed today.

Green party councillor Mark Hill, who represents Fishergate ward, said his committee could lose as much as a quarter of its cash after council leader Steve Galloway proposed to trim £163,000 from the budgets available to local ward groups.

Coun Galloway revealed the proposed cuts while unveiling the chief executive's budget for the next financial year.

He said the savings there, and in other department areas, were needed because of poor Government grants and the council's need to find £6 million of cuts across the authority to balance the books.

Coun Galloway said ward committees had not yet been consulted on the budget changes as it had only recently been discovered what its implications would be.

He said committees had been asked to draw up a list of priorities for the coming financial year, saying: "We simply won't be able to go far down those lists of priorities."

Today, Coun Hill said he was "extremely saddened" by the news of the proposed cuts and said they would have a huge impact on local people.

Labour councillor Paul Blanchard, who represents the similarly active Heworth ward committee, said the proposed cuts were "appalling".

Coun Hill said the Fishergate ward had already set its budget for the next financial year which, if the budget cuts were passed through council, would now have to be altered.

He said schemes such as the area's antisocial behaviour patrols and the Age Concern befriending service could be among those hit by any budget cuts.

Coun Galloway has said the council is lobbying the Government for the release of £1.25 million the city is entitled to in grants, but has not yet been handed over. If that was to happen, a review of the council's budget could then take place.

Coun Hill said: "This could be a cut of something like £8,000 for us. That's as much as a quarter of the budget. It really is a lot.

"Ward committee cash is spent extremely carefully and there needs to be more consideration of the city's little things. This is really sad news."

Coun Blanchard said: "Heworth Ward Committee is one of the most active in the whole of the city, and it's a kick in the teeth for everyone who has taken such an active interest in the local community."

Updated: 10:47 Friday, January 13, 2006