A LEADING Rossendale councillor claims the authority has hit crisis point during a staff re-organisation.

Stacksteads ward councillor Michael McShea has raised grave concerns about Rossendale Council after residents and staff confided in him. A re-organisation of the council was ordered last month to streamline departments.

He said: "Staff and members of the public are losing faith. It's getting really worrying."

Due to the reorganisation there are 19 vacancies over eight sections. The planning department has been hardest hit with a only a reduced service on offer.

Coun McShea said staff were struggling to cope with work demands and members of the public were not being given an adequate service.

He asked council leader Peter Steen for councillors to be allowed to attend the Joint Consultative Committee, which meets regularly with council staff, trade union representatives, and officers to voice concerns. But the request was rejected.

This has infuriated the labour group, who have participated in the JCCs for 20 years.

Coun McShea said: "All we want is for a selection of councillor representatives to be allowed to sit at the committee meetings and listen to both sides without being able to vote.

"We should be kept in the picture. I'm really concerned about the way the council is conducting its affairs."

Labour councillors Christine Lamb and Molly Disley also said they had been approached by residents who complained that they were struggling to get in touch with council staff.

Coun Lamb said: "This is not offering the people of Rossendale value for money or the service they need."

Peter Steen said the council was looking into a shared contacts centre with Lancashire County Council to help improve services.