A LAST-minute rethink is being urged by councillors in Pendle over a management shake-up of Lancashire's highways network.

County council bosses want to replace the current system, which includes district offices, with a more streamlined area-led restructuring process.

But the move has been criticised by the Lancashire Local Pendle committee, which will see the borough become part of a larger eastern division, while losing a designated area manager.

They have claimed this could also see the closure of the Pendle office in Nelson, but this has been refuted by the county council.

Councillors have contacted the county council's highways leaders to protest about the moves, which are currently open to public consultation.

In a letter to the county council, chairman Coun David Whipp says: "The district based office in Pendle was felt to have provided an exceptional service.

"A move to an area based structure would be a retrograde step and would remove the link between the locality and locally based staff, with essential local knowledge and the ability to respond quickly.

"The proposals did not sit well with the principles of locality working and the rationale of the locality agenda.

"The proposals (have) generated a suspicion that the undertaking given by the county council, on the termination of the highways partnership agreement, that the local service would be maintained, was flawed.

"Trust between the districts and the county council (will) be seriously damaged.

"The introduction of a functional and area-based structure would lead to a direct erosion of service to residents in the Pendle area with the loss of local knowledge, access and expertise."

Under the proposals, an area manager would cover five eastern' boroughs, including Pendle, Burnley, Rossendale, Ribble Valley and Hyndburn.

An assistant manager, in charge of maintenance issues, would also be designated for Pendle and Ribble Valley, with another similar post for Burnley, Rossendale and Hyndburn.

Denying any office closures councillor Tony Martin, responsible for Highways and Transportation, said: "We are constantly looking at the accommodation we have in the county to ensure that we run services as efficiently as possible. However there are currently no plans to close any offices.

"It is true that we pledged to give a better service and also that we are looking again at the staffing structure in order to achieve this. The highways officers, who have a great deal of experience of the area, will continue to be part of the set up.

"The restructure will make managers and their staff responsible for specific functions within an area. The restructure will also mean that staff who have always looked after highways for the county council, and staff that used to work for district councils under a wide range of different management structures, can work in a more coordinated fashion."

The restructuring issue will be debated afresh when the county council's sustainable development overview and scrutiny committee meets in Preston next Thursday.