A PASSIONATE plea has been made to entrenched district councillors in a bid to stop their plans to break away from Lancashire County Council.

County council leader Coun Hazel Harding made the call at yesterday's cabinet meeting, which discussed plans for greater partnership between the districts and the county.

It comes as councils across the county consider their responses to the local government white paper, released last month.

The paper included three options: more unitary councils, which would allow local councillors to take control of more local services, enhancing the current two-tier working between districts and shire councils, or the preservation of the status quo.

Communities secretary Ruth Kelly MP has said that unitary attempts must command a broad cross section of support and enhanced two-tier working must be agreed by all councils if it is to be given the go ahead.

The creation of unitary authorities could make the county council structure unworkable.

Coun Harding said: "We need a cessation of this blame culture that seems to be prevail in some areas.

"I think it's about time people recognised that the people of Lancashire want us to work together."

Coun Michael Welsh, leader of the Tory opposition, backed her plans and said the Conservatives on the county council would be working to the same ends.

But LibDem Coun David Whipp said: "Lancashire County Council is too big and does not meet the needs of the people of the county."

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