SUPPORTERS of a popular summer scheme in Winsford, which has ended this year due to council cuts, have accused Cheshire West and Chester Council (CWAC) of getting its figures wrong.

The Winsford Youth Forum was forced to cancel its canoeing and kayaking activities at the Winsford Marina when its funding was slashed in March.

However after a report in last week’s Guardian, staff at the Youth Forum have hit back at CWAC’s response, which claims it will continue to contribute 25 per cent of the administration costs, as well as premises costs and staff wages.

Maggie Anderson, co-ordinator for the Winsford Youth Forum, said: “They are only contributing five per cent towards administration costs and 20 per cent on weekend youth work.

“The 50 per cent cut of the co-ordinators post means that I have no hours left available to bring in funding that pays for the canoe and kayak instructors to support 200 young people on the water.

“By removing the structure and stating that they are cutting back on office costs in line with council priorities is in fact removing activities for young people – as a local charity we do not have back office costs.

“Further to this, the Council do not pay for the Marina premises costs which is the building we will be vacating from.”

Cuts to the popular river scheme – which has run for 25 years – comes just weeks after it received £1,000 from the Town Council’s Your Money, Your Choice event - in which members of the public voted on how £5,000 of Town Council money should be spent.

Mike Kennedy, chairman of the Winsford Youth Forum Action group has labelled the CWAC Council ‘clueless’.

He said: “I have sadly found that CWAC is about as believable and trustworthy as the old Cheshire County Council and that doesn't say a lot, at least with the old County Council you could see them coming before they mugged you.

“If any services at the Marina such as the kayaking and canoeing are, as seems, likely adversely effected for the sake of a few thousand pounds, then indeed the youth of Winsford and their parents will have the right to cry out, CWAC and it's officers don't care for our town.”

A spokesperson for Cheshire West and Chester Council said they are continuing to work with the Winsford Youth Forum.