COUNTY council bosses have been accused of failing the foot and mouth-gripped countryside after taking two controversial decisions.

Members of the cabinet refused to request a public inquiry into the epidemic then refused to guarantee they would put up £300,000 of county cash to help secure funding from the North West Development Agency.

Opposition councillors today accused the ruling Labour group of neglecting the countryside as it was 'bled dry.' And MPs also expressed disappointment at the decisions.

The report into whether vaccination was a viable option for controlling foot and mouth was requested by the cabinet earlier this year.

The county's foot and mouth task force concluded after reading it that economic factors meant that there was no clear favourite between culling and vaccination.

The task force was set up to assess the affects of the disease, found at 37 farms in East Lancashire. It led to thousands of animals being culled as a precaution.

The report stated that if all animals were vaccinated, there would be a risk that humans could end up eating meat from infected herds.

Mass vaccination, or even just localised vaccination at times of outbreaks, was not guaranteed to work in all cases either, it said.

The county's cabinet voted to pass their report on to the two national inquiries into foot and mouth. The Royal Society study is looking at scientific issues such as control and vaccination, while the Lessons Learned Inquiry will be looking at what can be taken from this year's experiences to prevent an future epidemic being so severe.

Neither are meeting in public and despite calls from opposition councillors to use the report to push for a public inquiry, the cabinet opted just to post on the report.

Coun David Whipp, leader of the Lib Dems, said: "We need a public inquiry so people can be satisfied that the government has looked at every angle and is not covering things up."

Council leader Hazel Harding said: "Our report is a good one and it will be of use to the two inquiries which are currently ongoing."

Members of the cabinet then refused to guarantee that at least £300,000 would be made available to support the Lancashire Rural Partnership, a new group set up this year to help the rural economy.

For Lancashire to get its share of £10million being made available by the NWDA, it needs to prove match-funding is available.

Conservative Anthony Jones said: "By not committing this cash, we are letting other counties get a head start. They will get preferential treatment. The reasons given for not putting a commitment in place are ridiculous."

Conservative Joyce Stuart added: "What message does this send to the rural communities which are being bled dry at the moment?

"They are being failed when we have the opportunity to help them."

Coun Harding added: "Yes, we are a rural council but we are also an urban one. We have lost 1,000 jobs in Burnley and Pendle and we need to react to that, too."

A spokesman for the NFU said: "Farmers need as much support as they can get, as does the countryside as a whole."

Hyndburn MP Greg Pope said: "I am worried about the support farmers have been getting and will be approaching the county council and ministers about this.

"I will also be considering the issue of a public inquiry again."

Burnley MP Peter Pike said: "The county council needs to be careful how it spends its money but this is a serious crisis. I am pursuing the public inquiry and compensation issues at the moment with ministers."

Ribble Valley MP Nigel Evans said: "I have written to Hazel Harding calling on her to start a public inquiry on what happened in Lancashire and am disappointed she refused.

"This has had a massive affect and I believe the county council should have contributed to the fund.

"I also believe that they should have supported the call for a national public inquiry."