ONLY half the staff at Blackburn with Darwen Council believe what their bosses tell them, according to a new survey.

A MORI poll found that the number of workers who always or usually believe information from the council had fallen from 54 per cent in 2004 to 50 per cent in 2006.

The percentage satisfied with job security had also fallen from 72 per cent to 65, according to Ipsos MORI North, a leading research group.

However the numbers satisfied with pay and who thought the council was a good community leader have risen.

Staff who claimed to have been treated unfairly, either by a member of the public or a council worker, dropped from 41 to 34 per cent.

Chiefs said they had taken on board the results and were already improving communication with worke-rs and a staff suggestion scheme is also be launched.

The council employs more than 7,000 people, almost half were sent questionna-ires, during the summer, of which around 1,250 were returned.

Although the council's score dropped on some indicators, its position compared well to other local authorities.

The findings showed 60 per cent were very or fairly proud to work for the council, compared to an average of 41 per cent elsewhere. And 72 per cent were satisfied with their job compared to the average of 63 per cent.

Graham Burgess, chief executive, said: "As an organisation with valuing employees and providing quality services to the public at its core, communications and staff development is an essential part of our ethos.

"That is why I have taken steps to strengthen commu-nications and improve our staff. For example we will be giving staff the opportunity to make direct improvem-ents to the way we work with a corporate staff suggestion scheme."