773236-67RACE relations in Swindon could soon be at crisis point because recent council cuts halve its funding.

That is the view of the director of Swindon's Racial Equality Council.

Jaginder Bassi spoke out against the cuts while announcing a sweeping reduction in the services his organisation offer.

Funding cuts announced in March forced the Swindon Racial Equality Council to lose three members of staff.

Their loss means the organisation can no longer give advice on immigration or nationality matters.

Opening hours at the office in Faringdon Road have been reduced from 35 hours a week to 14.

Mr Bassi said: "If the council is interested in maintaining good race relations in the town, it needs to be resourced by professional paid staff.

"It cannot be run by volunteers as it's a very specialist area of law.

"We've lost three posts as a result of the recent cuts by the council, so we've had to take drastic measures.

"We're not too happy about it but in the absence of human resources we're left with little alternative."

Mr Bassi said that the three members of staff, an advice worker, a race equality officer and an office manager, have already left.

The advice worker who left was a specialist in immigration and nationality issues, which means the council is no longer able to offer advice on those subjects.

Mr Bassi said that this year the organisation is getting £69,000 from Swindon Council plus £21,000 for staff redundancy costs, whereas last year it received £131,416.

Mr Bassi said: "We have already had to turn people away.

"The two organisations we traditionally would have referred people to, Wiltshire Law Centre and the Citizens' Advice Bureau, are both struggling to cope with demand."

Nigel Rolland, business and finance manager at Wiltshire Law Centre, said: "There is a real problem in the Swindon area with immigration advice, and the problem has been exacerbated by Swindon borough's cuts."

He added: "The council's cuts have been damaging for the whole of the voluntary sector.

"Our grant from Swindon council for employment advice has been cut by £31,000.

"We had two workers who gave advice on employment and discrimination, and the borough council has decided to axe all the funding for that area of law in Swindon."

The Wiltshire Law Centre dealt with 212 immigration clients in the last nine months of 2004.

Mr Rolland said: "We are trying to address the problem by forming a partnership with the Immigration Advisory Service who will provide an immigration outreach service from our office. This is due to start on June 1."

Judith Hawkins, manager at the Citizens' Advice Bureau, said her organisation was now being inundated with immigration inquiries.

She said: "The level has shot up from three per cent six months ago, and is now 30 per cent of our work.

"But a lot of asylum seekers are now simply being denied access to justice."

A spokeswoman for Swindon Council said: "As part of the budget setting process for 2005-6 the council had to make significant efficiency savings.

"In addition to this, the criteria for grant aid was amended in line with current council objectives and consequently priority was given to the provision of advice to people on low incomes."

The new opening times for the Swindon Racial Equality Council at Faringdon House, 1 Faringdon Road. Monday 10am to 1pm; Tuesday 10am to 1pm and 2pm 4pm; Wednesday closed; Thursday 10am to 1pm; Friday 10am to 1pm

The council continues to give advice on racial discrimination and racial harassment or violence on an appointment only basis.

To contact SREC telephone 01793 528545.

David Andrew