A flagship law centre in Yorkshire has been forced to close its doors after 15 years because of council funding cuts, while a centre in Liverpool faces a fight to survive after its local authority reduced its budget by 60%.

Humberside Law Centre shut last week after three out of the four local authorities that it relied on for funding withdrew or significantly reduced their commitment. The centre employed five members of staff, including one solicitor.


Steve Hynes, director of the Law Centres Federation (LCF), said: 'It is a worrying trend, and an illustration of the problem at the heart of the system - there is no statutory obligation on local authorities to fund law centres. To do all the work that we need to do, we need more than just Legal Services Commission (LSC) funding.'


Meanwhile, Vauxhall Community Law and Information Centre in Liverpool faces closure after 32 years of service if Liverpool City Council goes ahead with a planned 60% budget cut. The law centre has appealed the council's refusal to renew a £73,000 three-year cash grant and expects a response on 11 February.


David Taylor, senior solicitor at the Vauxhall centre, said: 'The tragedy is that thousands of people in Vauxhall who need independent legal advice may now face the downwards spiral of real social exclusion.'


The Vauxhall centre has two contracts with the LSC for employment and welfare benefits cases, but relies on the council grant for its strategic work. Five members of staff face redundancy if the cuts are confirmed.


A spokesman for Liverpool City Council said it would not comment while the funding appeal was


ongoing.


The LCF is in negotiations with the LSC and Hull City Council in a bid to re-start the Humberside centre and is also making strenuous efforts to save the Vauxhall operation.


On a positive note, Brent Council has reversed its decision to withdraw £50,000 funding to Brent Law Centre after intervention from the LSC.