TEACHERS across East Lancashire could be balloted over strike action as staff at schools face redundancy.

The National Union of Teachers revealed it they will give members the chance to walk out on strike if job losses continue.

Teachers at six schools run by Blackburn with Darwen Council education authority have already been forced to lay off staff as of the September term.

These include Longshaw County Junior in Park Lee Road, Audley County Infants in Queens Park Road, Roman Road County in Fishmoor Drive and St Anthony's RC in Shadsworth Road.

The exact number of staff affected has yet to be confirmed.

Now the NUT delegates, who represent almost half of the teaching work force, have confirmed that they will ballot their members to strike.

Simon Jones, Blackburn with Darwen secretary for the NUT, blames the missing £500 million in the government's education budget for the crisis.

He added that the redundancies would be a "catastrophe" by next year as remaining school reserves drain away.

"It is perverse to think there is a teaching shortage and redundancies at the same time," he said.

"But the move to ballet members is nothing new as we have always reassured members that we will move to a ballot over strike action over redundancies.

"In Blackburn there are several schools which will be affected by redundancies in the coming academic year. But by next year it will be a catastrophe as schools with money tucked away in reserve face job cuts to save money across the board."

Director of Education and Lifelong Learning for Blackburn with Darwen Council, Peter Morgan said: "The Council this year has again given a commitment to education funding and schools have received a 6.7 per cent increase in their budgets.

"However, a small number of schools are experiencing some budgetary difficulties as a result of changes in school circumstance including pupil intakes.

"We are working with the schools to support them, including exploring redeployment opportunities for staff at risk of possible redundancy. The retention of high quality teachers is clearly a priority for both schools and the Council."

At the same time, NUT delegates meeting at the national conference decided to ballot for the first time over retirement age. Teachers could be forced to work until the age of 65 instead of 60 under government proposals.