Closure and redundancy notices are being issued by voluntary groups across the district as their funds run dry.

The organisations have been plunged into an unprecedented crisis after losing grants from Bradford Council or receiving less than they wanted.

The closures follow a major controversy which broke out over the introduction of a new points system used by the Council for allocating the funds.

As a result, 171 won the cash they wanted while others faced the struggle of staying afloat.

The Council gave the winning groups more than £6 million but more than 100 other groups received less money than they needed or lost out altogether.

Groups hit worst by the crisis include:

The Girlington Centre. It will close after 13 years because the Council was unable to give the organisation as much as it asked. About six staff will be made redundant

The West Indian Parents' Association in Claremont, Bradford. It is winding up after 19 years with 14 redundancies

The Bangladeshi People's Association Advice Centre. One redundancy

Thorpe Edge Playgroup. The group is threatened with closure by the end of March;

The Environment Team at Holme Christian Care Centre. Reduced funding means disabled workers Kevin Simpson and Paul Honey will lose their jobs, although the work will continue

The Grosvenor Centre, Manningham. It will reduce to once a week opening, with youth facilities hit

Baildon Link. It has put expansion plans on hold and three workers have been made redundant

Keighley Women's Centre. It has a reprieve through regeneration cash until the end of October, but faces serious problems afterward

The groups have bitterly criticised the new method of allocating funds and say it should be reviewed.

Councillor Ralph Berry, chairman of the Council's community development committee, said today: "The system was fair and it was not a political decision. We will meet anyone to discuss how they could try to get alternative funding. "

The chairman of the Girlington centre management committee the Reverend Brian Tucker its closure will mean the loss of facilities to the densely-populated streets which include advice, youth facilities and courses including English and typing.

He said: "The closure is due to an accumulation of things. It is extremely disappointing. We are very sad about it."

The West Indian Parents Association ran a nursery, music programme and facilities for pensioners. Centre administrator Max Prosper said the group had scored no points in the new grants system.

He said: "It had nothing to with the relevance of services. I believe it was all predetermined."

Bradford Law Centre is taking a complaint to the Local Government Ombudsman on behalf of Bangladeshi People's Association which is having to close its advice centre on the grounds that its grant application was not dealt with properly.

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