A FURIOUS row broke out at Lancashire Police Authority over a decision not to merge executive support services with Lancashire County Council.

The authority is looking to make 10% savings this year and a further 10% next year and had received a ‘business plan’ from Graham Burgess on behalf of council leaders to merge back office functions such as policy, administration, research and finance.

However, the offer to save around £450,000 a year was rejected by most members, who felt it was ‘the worst point in time’ to be making the move.

Authority chairman Malcolm Doherty said: “The business case put forward was very, very poor.

"We would receive a lesser service at a time we need it to be at its best.”

County Coun William Cropper described any office move and staffing change as ‘fatal’ and independent member David Edmundson said it would be like ‘committing suicide’.

County Coun Anthony Jones said the force already faced two major changes, financially and with directly elected individuals, and that using county officers ‘not experienced in police authority matters’ would be a ‘risk’.

He said: “This seriously worries me. It is the wrong time to tackle another issue involving redundancies. I just don’t think it’s feasible.

But County Coun George Wilkins felt members were being ‘forced into making decisions’ and accused Coun Jones of being ‘naughty’.

This prompted an angry reaction from other members and Coun Jones replied: “He has used words I’ve never heard in an LPA meeting.

"I will not put up with that type of criticism unless it is founded on fact.”

He was backed by Coun Doherty, while independent member Frances Hendrix said Coun Wilkins had ‘insulted all of us’.

Coun Jones said: “I’ve been in local government for 30 years and have never ever been in this situation.

"Either George withdraws his remarks or puts in writing why I’ve been ‘naughty’ on two occasions, or I’ll have discussions with the monitoring officer.”

Coun Wilkins relented, saying: “I withdraw my comments and apologise for any distress or hurt.”