Wrexham could lose its musical voice as a result of funding cuts.

The Friends of Wrexham Music Service group fear wide-ranging implications after proposals to drastically cut the service's budget were passed by Wrexham Council on Wednesday.

The authority had originally been looking to chop its peripatetic school music service – to the tune of a £300,000 saving.

Revised proposals to continue providing £50,000 in funding for the service on a means-tested basis, allowing children from families struggling financially to continue to access it were suggested last month.

They formed part of the council's 2018/19 budget which was passed by a margin of 30 to 16 with one abstention at the meeting.

The authority is faced with slashing £13 million from its budget over the next two years.

Young musicians had gathered for an impromptu protest concert outside the Guildhall prior to the meeting but their pleas fell on deaf ears.

A spokesman for the group said: "If the number of children receiving music lessons decline then I think Wrexham will lose its musical voice.

"Many pupils who have gone through the music service have gone on to university and/or music conservatoires and have gone on to have careers in music.

"Until a few years ago the national ensembles, including the National Youth Orchestra of Wales was mainly made up of youngsters from South Wales.

"Over the last few years this number has steadily increased with more being accepted from Wrexham. To deny the children of Wrexham this opportunity can only have a detrimental effect.

"The new arts hub is about to open, it doesn’t make sense to invest heavily into this hub and then cut funding for the younger players and singers in our county.

"They have made this decision without fully thinking through its consequences and appreciating the effect of playing an instrument or singing can have on a child.

"It is well documented that playing an instrument helps a child to gain confidence, helps concentration and gives them the opportunity to form friendship groups both within the school environment and outside.

"All of this helps them to develop into well-rounded young adults.

"I do think reducing the funding so massively will discourage not only children from playing but also their parents from allowing them to take up instrument lessons.

"The children who have instrument lessons via the service are given the opportunity, as they progress, to join the various orchestras, bands and choir run by the music service.

"These after school activities are where their talents are nurtured. All too often we hear about children claiming they are bored and there’s nothing for them to do other than cause trouble within their community.

"Last year this resulted in dispersal orders being put in place to prevent groups of children congregating.

"Children who learn music become involved in a world that couldn’t be any further removed from that.

"The opportunities they get through their music making keeps them active and gives them focus. Learning an instrument doesn’t happen just during the lesson, there are the hours spent practicing too."