OPPOSITION councillors have called on county council bosses to cut the catering budget rather than youth services after going £489,000 into the red.

Options to meet a projected short fall of £489,000 for County Council's Youth and Community Service include axing six full time positions, charging schools in Lancashire for classroom support and looking at the use of transport by voluntary groups.

Coun David Whipp, leader of the Liberal Democrat party, told a full cabinet meeting that the latter would also mean charging voluntary groups for the use of transport.

He said: "These are organisations with hardworking volunteers who commit themselves to putting hours and hours in for young people in their area. Now you are saying they can't have transport free and are going to have to put in extra hours fundraising.

"We believe you could save more than £400,000 by cutting subsidies for the mess at County Hall and cutting the hospitality budget. We believe you have your priorities completely wrong. This will mean hardworking groups will have to raise money to pay for the incompetence of county council.

"I am completely and utterly appalled that you are cutting services for young people."

The problem was revealed earlier this year when the money was said to have been spent on services to young people and staffing costs, which accounted for more than 70 per cent of the budget.

At the latest cabinet meeting Council Leader Hazel Harding responding to Coun Whipp by saying that throwing more money at the problem would not resolve the matter.

She said: "What we are trying to do is bring the budget back into line. I expect people to live within a budget. These restrictions will bring the services within that budget."

Tony Martin, cabinet member for resources, added: "I believe we are doing a reasonable job looking after the youth services. I have never said these options wouldn't affect front-line services."