Up to 100 community groups are scrambling for cash in the final round of Bradford Council's grant hand-out.

A pot of £200,000 is available to be shared out among those groups which failed to secure grants in the first round.

The Council's community grants unit has been deluged with letters of representation which had to be received by 5pm today.

Among them are groups like the Asian arm of DIAL (Disability Information Advice Line) which has won national recognition for assisting disabled Asian people in Bradford but is due to close in March if no funding comes.

Another facing closure is the Ripple Project in Buttershaw, working to help drug addicts break the habit, rebuild their lives and reduce crime in the process.

The Council's community grant unit manager Philip Baldwin said inevitably there will be winners and losers with £3.5 million being requested and an initial budget of £1.2 million available.

It is the second year for the controversial points system which allocates marks according to the answers given on the grants application form.

Bradford Community Trans-port, which runs a fleet of 20 minibuses for the benefit of voluntary groups in the city, was among those pipped to the post first time around.

Manager David Noble says the knock-on effect of not receiving the required £22,000 from the Council will mean tripling its charges.

Decisions over the appeals will be made by councillors at committee on December 16.

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