THE £20 million reorganisation of local government in Lancashire has been labelled "pointless and waste of money".

Finance chairman Chris Cheetham slammed Blackburn's decision to go it alone as he put the final touches to the County Council's budget for the next 12 months.

He also argued that the cost of re-organisation would affect the quality of education in schools across Lancashire.

Bosses at Preston have had to find £52 million worth of cuts to make their books balance for the coming year.

But they have managed to find an extra four per cent of funding for the county's schools.

The ruling Labour group is also predicting council tax bills will increase by at least six per cent this April.

Councillor Cheetham claimed Lancashire County Council has been singled out by the Government for political reasons. He slammed the Conservative Government's decision to cut revenue and turn down an application for grants under the Capital Challenge scheme. The finance chairman went on to attack Blackburn and Blackpool's decision to win independence from Lancashire County Council.

He said: "Departments are having to find cuts at a time when they are being placed under intense pressure during the period leading up to this wasteful and pointless re-organisation of local government.

"We know that the one-off costs of it will be at least £20 million. We could employ an additional 90 teachers for ten years with that money.

"This waste of money is the decision of the Government."

But Tory finance spokesman Geoff Roper slammed the ruling group's record.

Councillor Roper said: "The size of the existing debt built up by this administration, to be the highest in the land, is no encouragement to government of any colour to authorise further borrowing.

"This authority's borrowing, standing as it does at £452 million, is a measure of incompetent management."

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