COUNTY council chiefs have removed spending power from the authority's youth and community service following a massive overspend of nearly £400,000 of public funds.

At a meeting on Tuesday cabinet members agreed to make the authority's head of finance responsible for the service's spending in conjunction with senior education officers.

It comes after council chiefs discovered an overspend of about £395,000 last year by the service which runs the county council's Youth Council aimed at getting youngsters interested in politics.

Now county county leader Hazel Harding has described the move as similar to a school being put into 'special measures' when the authority takes control.

The cash shortfall is expected to be absorbed within the education and cultural services budgets.

"The cabinet had to take action to address this situation and we believe this action is the way forward," said Mrs Harding.

"It is similar to the action taken after an Ofsted inspection when a school is found to be having difficulties. They put the school in 'special measures' and the local authority steps in and manages the school's affairs until the management is able to prove they can run the school successfully.

"It will be just the same in this case.

"The service manage their core business very well, helping young people in Lancashire develop, and we want to see the same standards in the financial management of the service. Sadly, last year this was not the case."

"I am very aware of the good work that has gone on in relation to young people, particularly through the Youth Council which has been hailed as a pioneering success in engaging young people politically and I hope that work can continue. We have to look at more efficient ways of doing that."