LANCASHIRE County Council has been accused of hitting the public with a 'pay more, get less' council tax rise.

And the ruling Labour group was accused of cutting services but protecting bureaucracy at County Hall.

Under the budget, passed after a three-hour meeting of the full council in Preston yesterday, people living in a Band D property will pay a basic £937.62 a year for county council services from April 1 -- a rise of 9.46 per cent.

The county authority had £1.3million taken off its original Government cash settlement, which fell from £999.8million to £998.7million after being reviewed at the start of February.

That pushed up the county's portion of council tax from 9.1 per cent to 9.4 per cent.

A police precept has to be added to that -- £87.72 -- as well as council tax demands from borough councils. The latter has not been set at most borough councils. Labour councillors claimed the rises would have been higher had it not been for £20million of cuts made by the council.

Around £13million was wiped off education budgets -- primarily effecting class size budgets and early retirements as well as building projects -- while social services shouldered some cash cuts too. They say they have been short-changed by the Government and cannot afford to maintain current levels of service without the high rises.

Opposing the council's budget, Conservative finance spokesman Michael Welsh said: "Here we have a budget where cuts have been made to services like education and social services, but some of the chief executives' departments within County Hall have taken budget increases of 20 per cent.

"The bureaucracy within County Hall is growing while services across the board are being cut.

"Efficiency savings should be found within these departments, not on frontline services.

"Had this been done, the Conservatives believe the rise could have been kept down to seven per cent."

Lib Dem leader David Whipp said: "People are paying more but getting less. This is a Labour group which is hitting people with massive council tax hikes but then spending £450,000 a year subsidising meals within county hall.

"We have a lot of well paid officers who are getting cheap lunches. At the same time, £200,000 is spent on hospitality in the year."

Council leader Hazel Harding said: "Our services from County Hall were highly praised by government inspectors last year. We are not over bureaucratic or pampering our staff, we are doing a good job."