CIVIC and community leaders in Cinderford fear the town will be made to bear the brunt of deep public spending cuts.

The Forest's 'most deprived area' has already lost more than £14 million of regeneration money because of Coalition cutbacks.

Now Mayor Max Coborn fears Cinderford could be in the front line when the county council and district council slash services over the coming years.

Gloucestershire County Council has already announced that the town's library and Splinters youth club will close unless the community take them over as they look to slash £108 million from their budgets.

But Coun Coborn and others believe this could be the tip of the iceberg.

"If they carry on, there will be nothing left," he said.

"There are already doubts about Heywood School and leisure centre, now they say we will lose the library and Splinters unless the voluntary sector take them over.

"They talk about the Big Society but how will that work without grants to voluntary organisations to cover the running costs?

"Candi and Artspace are already struggling because they cannot get the grants, so how will the library manage? Charge people £1 every time they walk through the door?

"I know the police are worried about anti-social behaviour increasing if youth services disappear.

"It does not make sense because Cinderford is considered the most deprived area in the Forest. Never mind regeneration, this is degeneration."