FINANCE chiefs at Blackburn with Darwen Council said they are "disappointed" with the money they are to receive from the government for next year even though they will get an extra £1million.

The cash will pay for essential services across the borough, including education, fire, highways and environmental protection.

According to government figures the borough will receive a 2.14 per cent increase, less than half the national average.

Executive member for resources, Councillor Gail Barton, said they had expected around £143 million, but will only get £140.917 million.

Burnley will get an extra £350,000 at £9.1million, Hyndburn will receive £6.9million, Pendle £7.4million, Rossendale £4.7million, and Ribble Valley gets an increase from £2.5million to £2.7million.

Lancashire County Council is to get £639million, an increase of £10million.

Some of the extra local cash has been taken from richer councils in the south.

Coun Barton said: "At first glance we are a bit disappointed at this stage, it's not quite what we would have hoped for. Over the next day or so we will be able to have a more detailed look at it.

"We are not happy, and would have expected more, but we will do a bit more analysis and if it turns out to be disappointing we will shout very loud."

Leader of Ribble Valley Council, Peter Redpath, said it he would have to wait until he had studied the figures before commenting but said: "If there is a worthwhile increase it would be extremely encouraging."

Lancashire Chief Constable Pauline Clare has warned that an £8million increase in spending will make little difference to the service the force provides.

Home Secretary and Blackburn MP Jack Straw yesterday announced the annual spending settlement for forces across the country which saw Lancashire's rise from £185.3million to £193million -- a 4.2 per cent increase which is below the national average of around five per cent.

But Pauline Clare said the extra cash would make little difference in the face of pension costs which rise each year through inflation and must be met out of the police budget.

She said: "As far as we are concerned this is a standstill settlement which will allow us to fund pay increases and meet the spiralling cost of pensions but little else. All our other important new investments will have to be met by efficiency savings."