LANCASHIRE County Council is recruiting a £98,000 director for its environment department – which has just shed 150 jobs.

Bosses say the scaled-down department has saved £3million after reducing the size of its workforce from 1,000 to 850 by offering voluntary redundancy to staff.

Now the post of director of environment and public protection services is being advertised on a wage of up to £98,000.

Tory environment and highways councillor Tim Ashton said his the restructured department had a ‘reduced management team’.

He said: “Delivering excellent public services and helping to manage a workforce of 850 staff is incredibly challenging and we are looking for the best person for the job. That is why we have set the salary that reflects the challenges the person will face.”