Voluntary and community groups demanded more open decision-making last night following controversial cuts to their funding.

The demands were made at a public meeting organised to discuss the future of the voluntary sector in Brighton and Hove.

Representatives from the groups accused the city council of acting in secrecy and of not being accountable for its decisions on recent grant allowances.

The meeting at the Community Base in Queen's Road, Brighton, was attended by more than a dozen people including Councillor Don Turner, Cabinet member for regeneration, and Sarah Tanburn, director for culture and regeneration.

Shula Rich, of the city's leaseholders association, said: "Many council decisions were based on ignorance and misinformation by officers who are anonymous. It gives the impression our futures are in the hands of faceless people."

Jules Payne, of the Community and Voluntary Sector Forum, said: "I think a lot of people feel disempowered from the process. Correspondence was not responded to, information had not been communicated and people feel they have no voice."

Colin Chalmers, of Community Base, said: "It seems there is a lot of secrecy going on and the council is seen as increasingly distant. There has to be a change in the culture of the council. It has to hear a little bit more what people are crying out."

The meeting was held after the grants process was delayed for reassessment throwing some organisations into funding chaos.

When the grants were issued in September, some groups which had traditionally received money discovered they had missed out. Of 131 applications, 60 groups received grants.

Coun Turner said all applicants could inspect their appraisal papers which set out in detail how decisions had been reached.

He said staff illness meant some papers had not been made public but said they would be made available.

He accused some voluntary groups of making misleading statements before they had found out the real reasons why decisions had been made.

He said: "It makes me wonder whether the grant or the publicity is the main object of their agenda.

"There are hundreds of voluntary sector organisations in the city and the vast majority do great work and are well run.

"However, a small minority appear to have a political agenda."

Ms Tanburn said the council was unable to discuss financial details in public as a confidentiality clause had been agreed with applicants.

She said: "This confidentiality has made it difficult to comment on specific cases. It's very frustrating but we made that commitment and we have to stick by it."

She said certain groups missed out on funding because they had large reserves or there was money available to them from other sources.