Voluntary groups bidding for more than £1million worth of Council grant cash will be given clearer guidelines, it has been revealed.

The move follows a major row last year when many organisations missed out when a new points system was launched. More than 70 voluntary groups will be vying for the grants this autumn. Last year's points system replaced the previous set up where organisations automatically had their grants renewed but there was little chance for new groups..

Bradford Council decided then that groups should be marked according to new criteria - but the system sparked fury when many groups were unsuccessful and some faced closure.

They said the points system was unfair and they had been unaware of how it would work when they filled in their forms.

The row culminated in a major demonstration in Centenary Square and groups turned up in force at the Council meeting when the grants were approved.

Since then the Council has been in extensive consultation with the groups about the next round of applications.

And last night's meeting of the community and development committee agreed clear guidelines in a bid to end the confusion.

The applicants will be asked to consider the qualifying criteria of meeting one of five basic priorities.

They are: rebuilding communities; partnerships for local regeneration; better education for all; a clean and healthy environment; and fighting crime for a safer district.

Councillor Howard Middleton (Bolton, Lib Dem) said groups which had missed out on grants last year but were bailed out from Youth Service budgets were uncertain of their future.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.