Some of the services offered by arts group ADeC are to be cut following its transfer from East Cambridgeshire District Council to the City of Ely Council.

The group is set to lose its long-standing director Jane Wilson, from April, while its free advice service and small grant scheme is also set to go as the new financial year begins.

The announcement comes just a week after a deal was agreed to transfer responsibility for funding the group to the City of Ely Council.

It was hailed by council leader, Cllr James Palmer, as a move that would “protect the cultural heritage of Ely” while it also saved the cash-strapped district council more than £200,000 over five years.

But the move will see ADeC which oversees Ely Cinema and the Babylon Gallery, in Waterside, scale back some of its operation.

A spokesman said: “We are very pleased to be working with City of Ely Council, and believe that this is in the best long term interests of ADeC.

“However, the end of our core arts development funding from East Cambridgeshire District Council means that in the short to medium term at least, our focus will be on the development of our venue-based activities including Ely Cinema and the Babylon Gallery, to which we are firmly committed, and the delivery of high quality arts-based projects.

“Some of our activities, which form a part of our current funding agreement with the district council, including our small grants scheme and the free advice and guidance service for groups and individuals wanting to develop arts activities in East Cambridgeshire, will come to an end from this April.

“In the light of this change we are restructuring the organisation, with our current director, Jane Wilson, leaving in mid-April.

“Going forward we will have two co-directors, who will share the leadership role. They will be Nathan Jones who will be leading on projects and training, and Caroline Cawley, who will take operational responsibility for our venue-based activities.

“Both existing members of staff, they are highly committed to the arts in Ely and beyond and are looking forward to the future.”