A NEW era of public meetings begins on Tuesday when Bury Council changes come into force.

In June, it was revealed that town hall bosses were to make sweeping changes to township forum meetings as part of cost-cutting measures - and they take effect next week.

The borough has six township forums, namely Radcliffe, Prestwich, Bury East, Bury West, Whitefield and Unsworth, and Ramsbottom, Tottington and North Manor.

Meetings had been held six times a year, but that has now been reduced to four.

Another change is that the £63,213 cashpot for grants has been reduced to £56,000.

The next round of township forum meetings begins when the Whitefield and Unsworth forum meets at St Andrew's Church in Ribble Drive, Whitefield, at 6.30pm on Tuesday.

Presentations on general issues will no longer take place during the meetings.

Instead, guests can visit stalls at the meeting 30 minutes before it begins at what the council is calling a 'market place’ facility.

From 6pm at Tuesday’s meeting, Citizens Advice Bureau representatives will give advice on recent major changes in the pension system and how this will affect people.

The next Radcliffe township forum meeting is to be held on September 16 at the civic suite on Thomas Street.

Further changes could follow, with proposals for some meetings to be replaced by ‘virtual meetings’.

The council's communities representative, Cllr Jane Lewis, said: "Significant advances in digital technology and social media also mean that increasing numbers of people prefer to share their views online rather than attend formal meetings.

"During the next year, we will explore opportunities to harness this technology to test approach to online meetings in relation to key topic areas.

"Other meetings and events can still be organised by community representatives and/or residents as required."

Cllr Tim Pickstone, of the Liberal Democrats, said he was disappointed by the move and added: "There are already few opportunities for people to speak in public about local issues and this would reduce them further."