AN AGENCY that promotes regeneration and employment in Furness says a decision to cut tens of thousands of pounds worth of its funding could hit the economy of the area, reports Paul Duncan.

Cumbria County Council will next week decide whether to stop its annual £51,000 grant to the development agency Furness Enterprise, a decision the agency believes will have a "huge negative impact" on the area.

Furness Enterprise chief executive Harry Knowles is to hold urgent talks with senior CCC officials next week in a bid to get them to change their minds about cutting its funding.

CCC spokesman Gareth Coslett said: "It is not just Furness Enterprise that is being singled out, it has been on the cards for a while. We provided them with £51,000 this year but the budget for next year, which has been approved by Cabinet but not by full council, proposes that this will be discontinued."