DISAPPOINTMENT is in store for a range of local organisations that are seeking council grants, writes PETE BLENCH.

Last week's meeting of the county grants panel broadly accepted a list of recommendations in which awards generally fell far short of what groups had hoped for. Final decisions rest with chairman Mike Kimbery, a Herefordshire Council cabinet member, in consultation with senior officials.

Age Concern Hereford & Worcester which requested the biggest single council grant in the current round of £123,750 is set to receive £29,000.

Hereford Association for the Blind sought £12,650 for its resource centre and home visiting service but is likely to receive £6,500 for the centre only.

Herefordshire Headway, which sought £4,000 towards providing transport for social events for disabled people, is likely to receive just £500.

Take A Break, which provides respite for the carers of disabled, older and frail people and those with mental health problems is likely to receive only £3,000 of the £8,000 it sought.

Regenerate, an organisation planning to carry out a Listening Matters community visioning process in Newton Farm and College Green, Hereford, sought £31,760 has a zero recommendation. Similarly, the Tudorville Residents Association, Ross, aiming to conduct a community needs survey, is being refused a £500 grant. Hereford's Unity Garden, a community garden city/farm project at former parks department nurseries, seeks £10,860 but is likely to get only £1,200.

In the arts category Leominster's main entertainment venue, the struggling Lion Ballroom, sought £8,460 to help keep it afloat but is likely to get less than half -£4,000. The 10 day Leominster Festival which will cost more than £38,000 to stage will have to make do with a £5,000 council grant - half the sum hoped for.

Kington Festival, which asked for £4,000, will get £1,500. Hereford's Three Choirs Fringe Festival, which sought £7,000, is down to get £3,000.

l Other grant recommendations (sums requested in brackets): Hereford Kite Association (£1,150) £500, Landscape Recording Association (£1,500) £1,500, Leominster Schools Choir (£10,000) zero, New Theatre Works (£5,800) £3,000. Nightjar Music (£1,500) £1,300, Pentabus Theatre (£3,000) £2,000, Presteigne Festival (£1,250) £700, The Music Pool (£15,000) £12,000.

Community Voluntary Action, Ledbury (£16,269) £3,269. (The panel heard funds from other sources had become available). ECHO support group for people with learning disabilities (£780) £780, Herefordshire Home Start (£4,000) £3,500, Herefordshire People Advocacy Network (£9,950) £7,000.

Jumpstart (children's play in rural South Herefordshire) (£2,359) £1,200, Ledbury Day Centre (£3,500) £2,000, Leominster Money Box Credit Union (£7,350) £4,400, Leominster Shopmobility (£4,925) £3,500.

Marches Family Network (support for families with disabled children) (£8,159) £5,300. Samaritans (£800) zero, Shelter (£300) zero, Victim Support (£1,750), £1,750, Workers' Educational Association in Hereford and Ledbury (£1,000) £500. WRVS (£9,000) £6,000.

Caring for God's Acre (churchyards conservation) (£4,650) £1,500, Farming and wildlife Advisory Group (£4,116) £1,000, Herefordshire & Worcestershire Earth Heritage Trust (£1,050) £1,050, Ross in Bloom (£385) zero.

Hereford Guild of (Heritage) Guides (£960) £300, Kington Museum (£2,500) £500, Leominster Folk Museum (£780), £550, Marcher Apple Network (conserving local varieties) (£2,100) £500, Hereford Waterworks Museum (£1,660) £1,000.

Hereford Bowling Club (for upgrade and maintenance of green) (£3,500) zero, Herefordshire Basket Ball Development Group (equipment and coaching) (£1,948) £200. HCVYS, equipment for Voluntary Youth Groups in county/ grants scheme run for Herefordshire Council (£23,190) £8,000, Kidz First (SouthWye project for children with disabilities) (£5,070) £2,500.

Ledbury Youth First (£5,000) £5,000, Teme Valley Youth Project, Wigmore (£8,000) £5,500, Xtreme Youth Projects (for project at Hinton Youth Centre, Hereford) (£10,000) £2,500.