ARTS groups in Southampton are holding a showdown with Tory council leaders today over plans to slash £70,000 in grants.

Five groups will see up to 15 per cent of their grants axed under Conservative budget plans which will undermine their future finances.

Arts chiefs are also worried about the message it sends out to external investors after the council signed up to a vision committing the city to become a regional centre for culture and arts by 2026.

The Turner Sims concert hall and Mount Pleasant Media Workshop both face 15 per cent cuts in their grants while the Nuffield Theatre, Art Asia and City Eye would lose five per cent.

Caroline Rackman is project co-ordinator of the Mount Pleasant charity which has been running low-cost and free art projects and IT training for 30 years.

She said a grant cut would hit individuals on low incomes and organisations who don't have funds to pay for courses.

"The impact will be on the work we can do. It will mean that we will need to offer a reduced service to the community. The things that will be most affected will be the free services.

"We cannot carry on indefinitely by having funding reductions."

Kate Anderson, executive director of the Nuffield theatre, based at the University of Southampton, said while she appreciated the council's financial constraint it was important councillors lived up to the vision for the arts they had signed up to.

She said although the proposed cut for the Nuffield was relatively small - about £12,000 - it would be "very disappointing".

Councillor John Hannides, Cabinet member for leisure and culture, said: "We are still funding them to the tune of £400,000. Savings proposed within the budget in no way reflects a lack of commitment to the arts. It's the reality of having to share savings across the portfolio."